SANDPOINT — Ongoing education is an important component of wildfire management for firefighters, land management agencies and property owners alike. Wednesday, 20 experienced fire responders took part in a wildland fire class in Sagle to learn techniques for assessing and minimizing fire danger on private, forested land.

"We expect a higher-than-average fire season," said Selkirk Fire, Rescue and EMS Chief Ron Stocking. "Moisture levels are low, and some grassy areas are already drying out. We haven't had rain now for almost 10 days. In Idaho we need rain about every 10 days to keep fire danger low."

Last summer, the Selkirk Fire crews were very involved in the Cape Horn fire near Bayview, Stocking said. He also had crews committed all over the state for more than 90 days. 

"It was very unusual," he said. "Triple what we usually do."

Although budgetary limits do not support hiring additional personnel to fight fires this season, Stocking said that they always welcome volunteer help. Also, advance training for existing employees is critical.

Racing against time as a virtual fire began to spread from grasslands into forest, participants fanned out along Gold Hill Road, visiting each residence to assess its defensibility. They checked to see whether driveways were wide enough for fire equipment, if low-lying boughs blocked access to homes, and whether homeowners had created protective buffer zones around their buildings.

Chief Stocking said the class was a training session for the Bonner County BONFire program. Funded largely by grants from the Idaho Department of Lands and the USFS, BONFire is a multi-agency effort by Selkirk Fire, Rescue and EMS, Bonner County Department of Emergency Management, Panhandle Area Council, the Idaho Department of Lands, the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Forest Service and local fire agencies, according to an informational brochure.

"We will come out and do a free assessment for anyone within the Selkirk Fire and Rescue service area," said Stocking. "Residents can call the station for more information."

Homeowners in rural areas can request a professional assessment of their properties by calling 208-265-8867, ext. 7. BONFire personnel will set a date to perform an assessment and make specific recommendations for improving fire protection.

According to BONFire, some key strategies for creating a defensible space include:

n Clearing all brush withing 30-100 feet of the home

n Pruning tree limbs up to a height of 10 feet or one-third the tree height

n Watering and mowing the lawn on a regular basis

n Storing firewood away from structures

n Creating turnouts on long driveways to allow passage of vehicles

n Choosing fire-resistant plants and landscape materials

People who follow BONFire recommendations reduce their risk of fire losses substantially, according to the fire chief. Captain Ron Reed said simply trimming the lower branches on trees makes a big difference in the spread of wildfire because then it is difficult for grass fires to spread upward.

"People have a heightened awareness to smoke in the air. I appreciate their concern about fires. That's a great thing," the chief said.

Information: Selkirk Fire, Rescue and EMS, 208-263-3502.