Fire Education for Everyone in West Idaho
This is south west Idaho's web page for wildland fire education. Fire education specialists in this corner of the state provide educational opportunities for all ages! BLM employees attend schools and community events, and they work closely with Smokey Bear to make fire education fun for everyone. For more information, contact the Boise BLM, 384-3300.
Smokey and his friend Lisa greet people at the Boise Hawks baseball game. |
Here are a few examples:
Boise District Fire Prevention Personnel Inform Children about Wildland Fire Safety
ID BLM Boise District Fire Prevention Specialists made wildland fire safety presentations at Roosevelt Elementary School and the Mountain Home Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Night. At Roosevelt Elementary School, the BLM did a presentation on campfire safety. At Mountain Home Fire Department, the BLM provided wildland fire safety information and answered questions about wildland fire safety. At both locations, Smokey Bear made appearances.
BLM Boise District and Smokey Bear Attend Marsing Head Start Spring Fling
Kids and families learn about campfire safety during event
Boise District Office - The BLM Boise District recently attended the Marsing Head Start Spring Fling. The event took place at Island Park and included various information booths and activities for kids. Smokey Bear made an appearances with his friends from the Boise District.
The BLM set-up a table with Smokey Bear goodies and information on wildland firefighting and prevention of unwanted wildland fires.
Fire Prevention/Education Specialist Mallory Eils said, “It was great to see so many families attend this event and the kids really do enjoy it.”
Smokey and friends at the Marsing Spring Fling
BLM Botanist, Boise State Horticulture Program Partner to Create Firewise Garden
Idaho State Office - As part of Idaho Wildfire Prevention Week, BLM botanist Roger Rosentreter and Boise State University horticulture student Brett Van Paepeghem were available at Boise’s Firewise Garden to talk about firewise landscaping and fire-resistant plants. Rosentreter provided a tour through the garden, where he discussed the viability of native and drought-resistant landscaping and the importance of firewise plants.
Every year, more homes burn because of wildfires. In 2007, over 5,400 homes and buildings were lost to wildfires nation-wide, many of which could have been saved if the homeowners had used firewise techniques around their homes. Rosentreter discussed the garden’s role in showcasing fire and drought-resistant landscaping and how homeowners can utilize the plants to increase their homes’ survivability during a wildfire. Wildland fire prevention specialists were also available to discuss firewise principles and wildland fires in southwest Idaho.
The garden, located just north of the Idaho Botanical Garden next to the Old Idaho Penitentiary, stemmed from a project started by Rosentreter three years ago. Rosentreter was working on a fire-resistant plant database for wildland urban interface areas in the Northern Great Basin habitat, and he wanted to test the feasibility of the plants on his list.
The Firewise Garden in Boise |
"I wanted to assemble a comprehensive plant list people could use to create fire-resistant landscaping around their homes, but I wanted to make sure that the plants could flourish in Great Basin habitats, like the climate of the Boise area," Rosentreter explained.
Rosentreter formed a partnership with Boise State’s Horticulture program. Boise State Horticulture students planted the garden and are currently managing and maintaining it. Rosentreter studies how well the plants grow in this climate, how much water they need and how fire-resistant they are. Rosentreter then uses the data from the garden to update the plant list.
Informational kiosks located throughout the garden provide tips on landscaping, such as where firewise plants should be located in order to increase a home’s chances of surviving a wildfire. The garden was installed in spring 2008 and is open to the public.
Fire Up for Summer!
This three-week summer course helps students learn about wildfire behavior, its effect on ecosystems, and minimizing rural communities' susceptibility to fire. To prepare for field research, students are taught how to gather quality data and master the use of tools and techniques. Instruction is provided in plant identification, the use of technology such as Global Positioning Systems, and various software for data recording. Students then go into the field and put their knowledge to work. They can also can earn college credits for taking this adventurous class!
A high school student downloading data in the Fire Up class
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