Officials seek information in cause of Parkway Fire
The Idaho Department of Lands is seeking information regarding the cause of the Parkway Fire that began Friday afternoon in Q’emiln Park, Post Falls Police reported this morning.
An unattended campfire caused the Parkway Fire, which started Friday and has burned roughly 80 acres in Post Falls so far, according to a Sunday social media post by the Idaho State Fire Marshal's Office.
"If we can find out who that person is, we'll go after them civilly," Idaho Department of Lands Communications Chief Scott Phillips told The Press.
The Idaho Department of Lands' standard policy is to pursue a civil case if negligence is determined to be a factor in the start of a blaze, Phillips said, to recoup the cost of fire suppression, which comes from the general fund.
"The negligence of the person or persons involved have caused great damage to a city park that will take years to recover from," Post Falls Police said in a news release. "The Post Falls Police Department is committed to thoroughly investigating this fire and holding the person or persons responsible for this negligent act."
Idaho Code Title 38-107 states “the person willfully or negligently responsible for the starting or existence of such fire shall be liable for the costs incurred by the state or its authorized agencies in controlling or extinguishing the same. The amount of such costs shall be recovered by a civil action prosecuted in the name of the state of Idaho and any amounts recovered shall be paid to the state treasurer for deposit to the forest protection fund.”
Anyone with information is urged to call the Post Falls Police Department at 208-773-3517 or email tips to detectives@postfallspolice.gov.
The Department of Lands will coordinate a civil investigation with the state fire marshal while Post Falls Police pursue a separate criminal investigation, Post Falls Police Capt. Mark Brantl told The Press. Post Falls Police are investigating the crime as a possible arson, based on negligence that allowed the campfire to ignite.
“We suspect it was a campfire and it was unintentional,” Brantl said. “But obviously if we find somebody they’ll have a side of the story.”
Based on Post Falls city ordinance, all people using local parks must comply with rules posted. It is posted that no fires are allowed in the forest outside of a designated fire site, like a barbecue or fire pit, Brantl said.
IDL is establishing control of the fire with 80 % containment, and some rain Monday night. Officials are working toward the goal of reducing ground crews by Tuesday to be able to dedicate the resources to other fires.
"Overnight, crews made considerable progress in strengthening containment along the eastern edge of the fire near structures, mopping up a swath nearly 100 feet wide from the edge of the fire toward the interior along nearly half of the incident’s perimeter," the Idaho Department of Lands said in a press release.
Q'emiln Park and the Post Falls Community Forest are closed until further notice while fire crews down burned and dangerous trees in the park and work to contain the western perimeter of the flame.
