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Bonner County commissioner reports 40-acre Sagebrush Fire and 15 county suicides this year
Summary
Commissioner update covered a 40-acre Sagebrush Fire with evacuation resources, progress on building-permit fire sign-offs, planning and zoning public interviews, and an outline of local suicide-prevention efforts after the board heard the county recorded 15 suicides this year.
Commissioner Donke reported that emergency responders limited the Sagebrush Fire to about 40 acres and that evacuation resources are available for affected residents.
"Because of the quick actions yesterday afternoon and all through the night, they've been able to limit the fire... they've kept it to 40 acres," Commissioner Donke said, adding that containment updates were expected later in the day. He said Real Life Ministries, on Highway 54 across the county line in Kootenai County, was open as an evacuation center and the county fairgrounds would accept animals.
Donke also described ongoing work on the county's comprehensive plan land-use component and said county staff had received new guidance from the attorney general's office clarifying legal roles for fire sign-offs tied to building location permits. "It's looking like we have really well defined legal lanes with regard to the responsibilities for reviewing safe fire access to new construction when it comes to the county issuing building location permits," he said, and said the county would coordinate with affected fire districts and chiefs to address any needed code changes.
On mental health, the commissioner said Bonner County has recorded 15 suicides so far this year with "our youngest is 16" and "our oldest is 82." He said the county is seeking more behavioral-health resources and that Dr. Wasek of Kaniksu Health joined a new regional behavioral health board. Donke said community feedback showed many residents prefer faith-based counseling and that Kaniksu would compile a list of faith-based counselors to distribute. He said the Idaho Suicide Prevention advisory process (referred to on the record as ISPAC) had invited county participation.
During public comment, resident John Dupree asked for a demographic breakdown of the suicides; the board recorded on the record that one was female and the remainder were male. The transcript contains the exchange: "Did I hear you correctly that 15 people have committed suicide here this year?" and the response, "Yes. And our youngest is 16. Our oldest is 82." When asked about gender breakdown, the on-record response was: "One is female. The rest are male."
Commissioner Donke also praised the recent public, on-the-record interviews conducted for planning and zoning vacancies and said the process will move to formal votes at a subsequent business meeting. He asked for improved coordination with fire chiefs to reduce delays in permit sign-offs before the next fire season.
Other items noted in public comment included ongoing discussion about ownership and lease language for a park in Priest River; county staff said they will pursue a public workshop to provide more information and discuss options with the city and developer.
