TWIN LAKES - When Jerry Little spotted two firefighters walking onto his Twin Lakes property with a packet in hand on Friday, he promptly met them at the end of his driveway on his ATV.

It's not a common sight in the quiet Lake Forest Homes area on Upper Twin, after all.

But the arrival of Northern Lakes Fire District's Mike Avilla and Matt Dill was all good.

The two seasonal firefighters are knocking on doors in the rural areas of Hayden Lake and Twin Lakes this summer, educating homeowners on what they can do to protect their property from a wildfire.

"Does that mean I have to clean my garage?" Little joked to the firefighters.

The talk then quickly turned to appreciation for the visit.

"We don't want any part of a forest fire here," Little said. "When they burn slash around here, we pay close attention."

Little's well-groomed yard earned high marks from the firefighters.

What they're concerned about are an abundance of pine needles on rooftops and in gutters, openings to attics not covered by mesh or other material that would prevent fire embers from spreading, low-hanging tree branches and brush rubble next to homes and under decks.

Dill said that it's not a matter of if, but when, there will be a large forest fire in North Idaho. The area has largely dodged a bullet for several years.

Even this year, with a wet spring, the recent warm and dry weather have made backcountry conditions prime for fire.

"It is now pretty well dried out," Dill said. "A tremendous amount of growth fuel has accumulated over the last several years."

Dill and Avilla are halfway home to distributing 700 "Ready, Set, Go!" booklets on wildfire prevention funded by a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant to residents in the Northern Lakes district. The packet also contains a letter from Chief Dean Marcus, burn regulations and a home evaluation form that residents can have the firefighters complete or they can do on their own.

Northern Lakes is in its first year of the program, a pilot project. If successful, other local districts may follow suit.

"We don't tell people what to do; we're just offering suggestions," Avilla said.

Most residents take the time to listen and are thankful the firefighters drop by.

"It's nice to meet the guys and to know where your taxes are going," Little said. "These are the kind of taxes I don't mind paying. I'm glad they're out doing this."

The visit also offers a chance for rural residents to mingle with firefighters. Little asked about the new fire station on Highway 53 expected to be completed this winter.

Grant Smith interrupted a phone conversation to speak with the firefighters when they arrived.

Smith, an Eagle Scout, said he's aware of fire danger, but another set of eyes never hurts. He said he wants to do his part to prevent a forest fire and assist firefighters.

"What they're doing is remarkably important," Smith said. "We all get caught up in our routine, so it's nice to have your head turned in a different direction. I know (the fire department) is close, but it's not that close."

Want a visit about wildfires?

n Those living in the rural areas of the Northern Lakes Fire District who would like information on preventing wildfires or have a free home evaluation can call Jim Lyon or Tyler Drechsel at 772-5711.