THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
PROCLAMATION

Executive Department                                                                                                                                                 
State of Idaho                                                                                                                                                                 

State Capital
Boise

WHEREAS, unusually hot and dry weather in the region has created extreme fire conditions throughout much of the State of Idaho; and

WHEREAS, data tracked by state and federal agencies reveals that approximately 624 separate wildfires have burned within the state thus far in 2021; and

WHEREAS, over 10,000 acres of land under the jurisdiction of the Idaho Department of Land's (IDL) Forest Protective Districts have already burned because of approximately 208 separate wildfires; and

WHEREAS, dry lightning and human actions have recently caused dozens of wildfires to burn in the state, and extended weather forecasts indicate there will be no change in the extreme fire conditions for the weeks ahead; and

WHEREAS, the extreme fire conditions have significantly diminished available fire suppression resources and the state's ability to respond to existing and new wildfire ignitions on lands within the IDL Forest Protective Districts; and

WHEREAS, the extreme fire conditions further pose an imminent threat to the fire suppression resources of other fire suppression agencies, including the Clearwater-Potlach Timber Protective Association and Southern Idaho Timber Protective Association (collectively "Timber Protective Associations''); and

WHEREAS, the extreme fire conditions combined with diminished fire suppression resources have created an emergency that poses an imminent threat of widespread and severe damage, injury, and loss of life and property throughout the state and particularly on and around the 6.2 million acres of/and that comprise IDL Forest Protective Districts and the Timber Protective Associations; and

WHEREAS, to save lives, protect property, and lessen the serious threats posed by the extreme fire conditions, additional resources are necessary to supplement the fire suppression efforts of IDL, the Timber Protective Associations, and local jurisdictions.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BRAD LITTLE, Governor of the State of Idaho, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the constitutions of the United States and State of Idaho and the laws of State of Idaho including, but not limited to, Section 46-1008 of the Idaho Code, do hereby find and therefore proclaim and declare:

1.    That a state of disaster emergency exists in the State of Idaho.

(a)    The nature of the disaster emergency is the occurrence and imminent threat to public safety and property arising from the extreme wildfire conditions.

(b)    The area threatened by the disaster emergency includes all lands located within IDL Forest Protective Districts and Timber Protective Associations.

(c)    The area subject to this proclamation includes all lands located within IDL Forest Protective Districts and Timber Protective Associations.

2.    The state of disaster emergency herein described shall exist for a period of thirty days unless terminated or modified, or unless extended for thirty-day increments.
 
3.    Consistent with Section 46-1008 of Idaho Code, this proclamation authorizes the resources of state government to be used to assist in efforts to deal with the declared state of disaster emergency.

4.    The Office of Emergency Management shall reference this proclamation as No. ID- 02-2021, 2021 Wildfires.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of the State of Idaho at the Capitol in Boise on this 9th day of July in the year of our Lord two thousand and twenty-one.

BRAD LITTLE 
GOVERNOR

LAWERENCE DENNEY 
SECRETARY OF STATE