Idaho Gov. Little declares wildfire disaster emergency, authorizes Guard to help along Oregon border

Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed a wildfire disaster emergency Tuesday and deployed the Idaho National Guard to help fight the Big Grass Fire burning along the border of Oregon and Idaho, Little’s office announced Wednesday. 

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The disaster emergency declaration applies to all of Owyhee County, which is affected by the Big Grass Fire, and all of Boundary County, where the Turner Fire burned. 

Additionally, the disaster declaration applies to all land within the Idaho Department of Land’s jurisdiction and timber protective associations. 

In recent days, the Big Grass Fire exhibited what fire officials called “extreme fire behavior with rapid rates of spread” and has burned more than 301,000 acres combined in Oregon and Idaho as of Wednesday afternoon. 

Containment was estimated at 7% as of 4:35 p.m. Wednesday.

“Idaho’s brave firefighters are working around the clock to protect lives, homes and communities under extremely challenging conditions,” Little said in a written statement announcing the disaster declaration. “My declaration taps into additional state resources and enables us to deploy the Idaho National Guard to support firefighting efforts and protect Idahoans.”

Idaho National Guard is ready to help with Big Grass Fire, official says

As of Wednesday, the Big Grass Fire threatened more than 350 residential structures, according to the Bureau of Land Management and California Interagency Incident Management Team Five that are responding to the fire. 

“An aggressive full-suppression strategy is being implemented for the Big Grass Fire to protect communities, structures, critical infrastructure and other valuable resources at risk,” officials with the Bureau of Land Management and California Interagency Incident Management Team wrote. “Efforts are focused on minimizing impacts on public, private, and state lands, as well as natural and cultural resources.”

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Maj. Gen. Tim Donnellan, adjutant general of the Idaho National Guard, said the Idaho National Guard is ready to help.

“Our unique dual state and federal mission ensures we are ready to provide critical capabilities in support of our fellow Idahoans by strengthening wildfire response efforts when our state needs us most,” Donnellan said in a written statement. “As this year’s wildfire season becomes more demanding, the Idaho National Guard is honored to serve alongside our local, state and federal partners to help protect lives, property and communities across Idaho.”

Lt. Christopher Borders, a public affairs officer with the Idaho Military Division, said the Idaho National Guard is responding to a request for assistance from the Idaho Department of Lands by preparing aircraft, pilots and crews to help fight the wildfire from the air. 

He said he did not have a specific number of personnel when a reporter from the Idaho Capital Sun asked how many Idaho National Guard troops are being deployed to help fight the fire.  

“All requests for Idaho National Guard support are routed from the requesting agency through the Idaho Office of Emergency Management to the Idaho National Guard,” Borders said Wednesday. “Our support, depending on the specific request, could include ground suppression operations like hand crews, heavy equipment and operators, logistics, sustainment and communications capabilities as well as traffic and access control, and evacuation support.”

Democratic Idaho legislators also push for wildfire assistance

Little signed the declaration Tuesday, and his office announced that he signed it Wednesday. 

On Wednesday, before Little’s office announced the disaster declaration, seven Democratic Idaho legislators sent a letter to Little asking him to consider activating the Idaho National Guard to help fight the Big Grass Fire and protect the community of Silver City, which is under a level 2 “set” evacuation status under Idaho’s three-tiered “ready,” “set,” “go” evacuation orders. 

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“The volunteer crews fighting this fire are so shorthanded that fire departments from other states are being recruited to help, including Ventura, California, and Petaluma, California,” the Democrats wrote. “Idahoans so appreciate their participation.”

“The fact that support from other states is needed indicates to us that our state resources should possibly be there too,” the Democrats added. 

Democrats who signed the letter included Sens. Janie Ward-Engelking and Carrie Semmelroth, both D-Boise; Sen. Ron Taylor, D-Hailey; Reps. Ilana Rubel, Monica Church, Soñia Galaviz, Brooke Green and John Gannon, all D-Boise. 

Democrats also sent their letter to Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek.

The Big Grass Fire was started by lighting 25 miles west of Jordan Valley, Oregon, on July 23 and has burned an estimated 301,000 acres as of Wednesday afternoon, according to the Bureau of Land Management and California Interagency Incident Management Team Five.