Still-burning logging slash piles pose Idaho wildfire threat

BOISE (AP) - Idaho officials say logging slash piles lit on fire in the fall, winter or spring could still be burning under the surface due to a lack of snowpack and pose a wildfire risk this summer.

The Idaho Department of Lands in a statement Wednesday said the types of piles are those created by bulldozers and excavators during logging operations.

The agency said forest owners and logging operators should check piles for heat, and excavate the piles and douse them with water if heat is found.

Officials said the piles contain more dirt that reduces oxygen and causes the wood to burn slower.

The agency said if a fire escapes a slash pile, the person or entity that created it may be liable for firefighting costs.