BOISE — Gov. Brad Little signed a disaster emergency declaration Tuesday, authorizing Idaho National Guard resources to be dedicated to the Big Grass fire that has expanded rapidly in recent days.

The declaration authorizes the deployment of Idaho National Guard resources to assist with wildfire response on the Big Grass fire in Owyhee County, providing added equipment and personnel to bolster firefighting operations in the area.

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

The fire near the Idaho-Oregon border has rapidly expanded since it was discovered on July 23. A Wednesday morning update from the California Interagency Incident Management Team 5 said the Big Grass fire has surpassed 300,000 acres and was 7 percent contained. Firefighters have been faced with “extreme fire behavior” in recent days compounded by strong afternoon winds, the update said.

On Wednesday morning, Don Fregulia, the Team 5 section chief, said crews were able to successfully defend several ranches in the northeast portion of the fire, which has stretched near Flint, Idaho, and were prioritizing the eastern portion of the fire that has extended into Owyhee County.

In addition to authorizing the use of additional state resources for the Big Grass fire, the declaration makes a similar authorization for wildfire monitoring and recovery efforts for the currently contained Turner Fire in Boundary County.

The declaration has broad application to all lands under the protection and jurisdiction of the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) forest protective districts and timber protective districts. It cites prolonged hot, dry weather, severe drought and increased wildfire activity — all of which have strained fire suppression resources across the state.

“(Little’s) declaration ensures we can quickly mobilize resources, strengthen coordination with our local, state and federal partners and continue protecting Idaho’s communities, firefighters and natural resources during what is shaping up to be a challenging fire season,” IDL Director Dustin Miller said in a statement.

As of Wednesday, 530 fires have burned 138,812 acres across Idaho’s wildland fire jurisdictions.

Beyond personnel and equipment, the proclamation provides financial support for “extraordinary costs of statewide fire monitoring and wildfire response support” by the State Emergency Response Team (SERT).

Hours before the declaration was made known to the public, seven Democratic state lawmakers issued a letter to Little and Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek urging the governors to deploy National Guard resources in response to the Big Grass fire.

The letter pointed to the threat the fire posed to rangeland, cattle and wild animals and the nearby Silver City, a ghost town on the National Register of Historic Places with buildings dating to the 19th century. As of writing, the city is under a “set” evacuation warning.

There is precedent for the National Guard being deployed to assist in firefighting efforts, including for out-of-state wildfires.

On a smaller scale, the Idaho Army National Guard recently deployed two specialized engineers to support suppression efforts for the Claremont Fire in Boise.

Rather than being spurred by the scale of the fire, their deployment was prompted by safety concerns about unexploded ordnance in the area. Soldiers used specialized mine detection equipment to determine whether areas were free of potential explosive hazards and confirmed the work area was clear, the Idaho National Guard said in a Facebook post.

A larger number of Idaho National Guard troops were deployed in August of 2020 when three UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and nearly two dozen personnel were sent to assist with California wildfires in a year that saw more than 4.3 million acres burned in the state.

“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,” Maj. Gen. Tim Donnellan, adjutant general of Idaho, said in a 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.”

Also reflective of Idaho’s challenging environmental conditions this summer, Little previously approved an emergency drought declaration in Aril for each of Idaho’s 44 counties.