Idaho sees an 'above average' wildfire season for 2024
This file photo shows a firefighter monitoring scooper planes over the Fishhook Creek drainage as crews fought the Bench Lake Fire in central Idaho on July 21, 2024.
Courtesy of Clay Stephens/Interagency InciWeb report
The state of Idaho has seen an “above average” wildfire season in terms of the number of wildfires and total acres burned, according to the Idaho Department of Lands.
As of Tuesday, there have been 301 wildfires across the state — burning a total of 49,128 acres, according to IDL’s Chief of Fire Management Josh Harvey. The 22-year average for the number of wildfires in Idaho is 271.
This wildfire season saw “almost double the 20-year average in terms of acres burned,” said Harvey. This especially active fire season can be largely attributed to hot, dry conditions early in the year that left wildlands primed for wildfire.
Of the 301 fires statewide, 128 were human-caused, according to Harvey. An additional 56 fires are suspected of being human-caused, and 117 are attributed to natural causes such as lightning.
The North Idaho region, extending from Boundary County down to the St. Maries area, recorded less wildfires compared to the rest of the state, with 99 total fires to date.