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Deputy Fire Chief warns of above‑average wildfire risk; urges homeowner preparedness
Summary
Deputy Fire Chief Jeff Sells told the Coeur d'Alene City Council the city faces a higher‑than‑average fire season because of drought and low snowpack, outlined partnerships and resources for mitigation, and urged residents to sign up for local alerts and follow burn‑permit rules that start May 10.
Deputy Fire Chief Jeff Sells told the Coeur d'Alene City Council on May 6 that state and national forecasts predict higher‑than‑average wildland‑fire activity this summer because of drought and below‑average snowpack.
Sells said those broad forecasts help the department decide when to increase staffing and when the city can safely send firefighting resources to assist neighboring jurisdictions. “The experts are predicting a higher than average fire activity this summer,” Sells said, adding that more localized weather reports due in the coming weeks will refine operational decisions.
Why it matters: Council members heard that nearly all of the city falls inside a designated wildland‑urban interface (WUI). That designation means many Coeur d'Alene neighborhoods face heightened wildfire exposure and that no single agency can handle a major WUI event alone, Sells said. The city’s ability to fight a large fire depends on mutual‑aid pacts, state air resources and coordinated regional plans.
Sells reviewed the city’s mitigation partners, funding sources and tactics. He described fuel‑break projects coordinated through the FireSmart program and Kootenai County Office of Emergency Management, and pointed to formal agreements with the Idaho Department of Lands and the Idaho Cooperative Mobilization Agreement (ICMA) as mechanisms for sharing air resources, personnel and reimbursement rules. He said the Kootenai County Fire Chiefs Association coordinates a predetermined wildland task force plan and that Spokane County departments participate in mutual aid.
On homeowner actions and city services, Sells urged residents to: sign up for Alert Kootenai to receive emergency notifications; comply with burn permits, which the Idaho Department of Lands will require starting May 10; harden homes with fire‑resistant exteriors and defensible space; and use the county’s checklists and city staff consultations for property preparedness. He also mentioned local apps and tools that can aid situational awareness, including PulsePoint and wildfire notification services.
Councilmember Christie asked whether the department runs public workshops and where residents can find checklists for what to take if they evacuate. Sells replied the department does community presentations, will speak with local groups such as the Tubbs Hill association and can perform site visits to advise homeowners on landscaping and preparedness. “We also will go out and take a look at folks’ homes if they have a question about landscaping or whether or not their property is prepared for a wildland fire,” he said.
Sells and council members emphasized that Fuels mitigation and community participation are “force multipliers” against human‑caused ignitions, which officials say cause a large share of WUI fires.
Looking ahead: Sells said more specific local outlooks and staffing triggers will arrive before peak season, and that residents should plan now for alerts, evacuation routes and pet relocation plans.
