COEUR d’ALENE — Issues facing North Idaho due to snowpack took center stage during the Tuesday morning Breakfast Connect hosted by the Coeur d’Alene Chamber Regional Chamber.

"I wish I had better news for you guys,” said Isabel Davis.

Davis, who works for the Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center, outlined what she thought was concerning data regarding the area’s snowpack issues when she adressed about 100 people at the Hagadone Event Center.

She spoke about high levels of rainfall and to what was called “atmospheric rivers” toward the end of 2025.

“When I think of December, all I can remember is the atmospheric rivers,” she said.

While the end of 2025 featured heavy rainfall and concerning lows of snowpack, Davis said some data was comparatively good in the beginning of 2026.

Though January got off to a strong start, the month was headlined with a 16-day dry spell with no precipitation. 

With more consistent snowfall, February marked the winter’s most significant period of natural and human triggered avalanches. 

Todd Kiesbuy, Avista’s North Idaho regional business manager, spoke of Avista’s efforts in reducing the area’s risk of wildfires. 

“Fires today are burning hotter and faster,” he said. 

He outlined several initiatives that were slower in pace due to their encompassment of large parts of North Idaho. 

He described a range of subjects that he called "grid hardening," which details changes in power lines from wood into fiberglass or steel, to the burying of power lines in the ground rather than overhead.

Kiesbuy also detailed Avista’s last-resort fire protection service called a "public safety power shutoff."

“The most preemptive fire safety precaution is to shut off the power,” he said. "We do not take that lightly.” 

A public safety power shutoff has only happened once. It's preceded by a multi-day vigilance period to make sure conditions necessitate the maneuver.