Don’t Ignore Wildfire Warnings in the Magic Valley

Drought, wind, and fire are no joke. Tuesday, I posted the latest red flag weather warning from the National Weather Service. There’s another one issued for Wednesday afternoon and evening, covering an expanded territory across southern and eastern Idaho. What surprised me on Tuesday was an online comment from a woman who called yesterday’s story clickbait. She said it was no big deal because we have a lot of wildfires every year. Are you kidding me? Some people open their mouths and spout a stream of consciousness without thinking.

What are You Missing in this Drought?

The story detailed our historic dry conditions, the warning, and the concerns of the Chief of the largest fire department in the valley. Look, tell me why that’s clickbait? On the very same day that the woman blew off the threat, Governor Brad Little announced the state’s firefighting budget is broke. Click here for the details. There are people in the growing business just hanging on because of a lack of water, and a devastating fire could harm the economy for years to come, and wipe many farms and ranches off the map. We sure as heck better be vigilant.

Towns and Cities aren't Immune

Twin Falls Fire Chief Mitchell Brooks is very concerned about fire sweeping through entire neighborhoods of the city, akin to what we saw in California early last year. His agency trains to extinguish single-building fires because that’s the majority of what firefighters face. Entire blocks going up at once is another matter, and could overwhelm local resources. And some women call the warning clickbait? Some elevators aren’t going to the top floor. We’ve reached critical mass, and we’re only in the middle of June.