Feds urge efforts to reduce fires

BOISE — Federal fire officials are calling for more enforcement of code and building requirements in the wildland-urban interface as a way to protect communities from the growing wildfire danger.

U.S. Fire Administrator Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell spoke Tuesday at the National Interagency Fire Center, along with several national and local fire officials. Each speaker referenced the increasing risk associated with fire to structures, people and the environment.

Moore-Merrell highlighted a report released 50 years ago called “America Burning” by the federal Fire Commission to underscore the challenges and dangers of fire as well as the opportunities for fire loss reduction.

“We stand here together today as the nation’s fire service to tell you that America is still burning,” she said. “Across the nation, fires are a threat to individuals, to public safety, and it’s a threat to our homeland security.”

In 2022, there were 1.2 million structure fires in the country and 69,000 wildfires that burned 7.5 million acres, Moore-Merrell said. So far this year, there have been more than 800 deaths due to fire, involving 21 firefighters.

Boise officials stressed that the code enforcement of Boise’s wildland-urban interface, known as the WUI, is strong. Boise Fire Department Fire Marshal Mike Bisagno said Boise is working with other Ada County agencies to develop similar codes for other Treasure Valley communities that abut undeveloped wildlands.

“There’s a lot of collaboration here,” Bisagno said.

Boise Mayor Lauren McLean said that in her forthcoming budget, she’s going to recommend four-person staffing at a station that often receives wildfire calls and increasing staffing over time at other stations on the outskirts of the city.

“To keep our firefighters safe, so they can keep our residents safe, we need more firefighters on these calls,” McLean said.

Much of the fire danger faced by the nation is because best practices for fire-safe materials are not always used, said Steve Kerber, vice president and executive director of the Fire Safety Research Institute.

A bedroom fire or living room fire 50 years ago could go from a small flame to flashover, or rapid flame growth, in 30 minutes or more, he said, while today, a similar fire can reach flashover in less than five minutes. This is because of the synthetic materials used in modern home furnishings and interior finishes.

“Fires have gotten faster,” Kerber said.

So far this year, more than 800 people in the U.S. have died in fires, he said, including 100 children. People can protect themselves by having working smoke alarms, creating an escape plan and using doors as a barrier in the event of a fire, he said.

Michele Steinberg, director of wildfire for the National Wildfire Protection Association, said that it’s too common for communities that burn in wildfires to rebuild in the same location the same way. She noted that code requirements for fireproofing schools and hospitals resulted in a significant reduction in damages and deaths.

Climate change and drought conditions are also making fires worse, Kerber said. In the last three years, more than 26,000 structures have been destroyed in wildfires; 15,000 of those were people’s homes.

The increasing prevalence of interface fires means that some communities not used to wildfires are now seeing an increased danger, said Pat Morrison, assistant to the general president for the International Association of Firefighters. Improving training among firefighters is key to dealing with these unique types of fires, which are becoming more of a year-round issue rather than seasonal, he said.

“Here in Idaho, every wildfire can become an interface fire,” Morrison said. “And it’s not just in the West. Fire departments in every state, in every municipality, are coming face to face with this ever-growing threat.”

Structure firefighters may not have the needed training for wildland interface fires, he said, and improving this training will help keep communities safe. Improving safety equipment technology and reducing the risk of cancer — currently the leading killer of firefighters — are also priorities for federal fire officials.

Across the country, departments are facing increasing challenges with recruitment and retention, while call volume is significantly increasing.

Boise Fire Department Fire Chief Mark Niemeyer said his department is not exempt. He said recently that 368 candidates tested for around 10 positions, whereas in the past, there would’ve been closer to 1,500 candidates.

The city’s five-year public safety strategic plan calls for 104 additional firefighters in the next five to 10 years. Around 20 firefighters retire each year, Niemeyer said, which contributes to the challenge of increasing staffing.

As part of McLean’s budget proposal, and in line with the strategic plan, the department would have four-person staffing at the station near Harris Ranch. It would later add staff to Station 12, near Micron, then two southern Boise stations and then Station 13, which is planned to be built in the northwest region of Boise.

“It’s going to be a lift,” Niemeyer said.

When it comes to fighting and preventing fire nationwide, Moore-Merrell said the country’s current approach isn’t adequate.

The White House fiscal-year 2023 budget proposal included $1.97 billion in funding for state and local law enforcement, according to a 2023 U.S. Fire Administration report. The Biden administration requested $740 million for grants to local fire departments. The report states that this investment is not sufficient to address the issue.

Moore-Merrell said she was still optimistic about the potential to mitigate damage and save lives. She highlighted the work of the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission, which was created in 2021 and involves a number of federal and local agency representatives.

“While the overall fire problem in America remains difficult, I’m confident that with the partnerships at the federal, local and state levels,” she said, “we can prevent future fires, reduce the suffering and ensure that more people here in Idaho and across our nation have the knowledge to protect themselves and their families.

Guido covers Idaho politics for the Lewiston Tribune, Moscow-Pullman Daily News and Idaho Press of Nampa. She may be contacted at lguido@idahopress.com and can be found on Twitter @EyeOnBoiseGuido.