It’s hard to believe that summer is just around the corner. The unseasonably cool spring has pushed wildfire prevention to the back of most of our minds; however, all it takes is a few days of sunshine to dry out vegetation and raise the fire danger. As a result, May has been designated Wildfire Awareness Month to get people into the right frame of mind heading into wildfire season.

To reduce the threat of wildfires, governors from California, Idaho, Nevada, and Oregon issued a proclamation declaring May as Wildfire Awareness Month. In Idaho, we will be kicking off Wildfire Awareness Month on May 8th (weather permitting) by painting the roadways at Hells Gate, Winchester, Dworshak, and Heyburn State Parks with the message Don’t be a Guberif. The Guberif (firebug spelled backwards) is a nefarious character known to carelessly start wildfires due to his care-free nature.

This month, Idaho Firewise will also be launching a new advertising campaign in conjunction with Keep Idaho Green, the Bureau of Homeland Security, and the Nez Perce Tribe. The theme of this campaign is It doesn’t have to go up in smoke – prepare your home for wildfire season now.  


This campaign ties into the concepts of the National Fire Protection Association's (NFPA) Firewise Communities® program, which encourages homeowners, community leaders, planners, developers, firefighters, and others to take action to protect people and property from the risk of wildfire.

Idaho Firewise is part of the national Firewise Communities program and is proud to say that there are 35 nationally recognized Firewise Communities in Idaho.  “The residents in these communities have worked together to make their neighborhoods safer from fire,” said Harry Steele, Idaho Firewise board member and Idaho Department of Lands fire prevention coordinator.  “We hope even more communities will do the same.”

For more information on how to become a Firewise Community, please visit www.idahofirewise.org.