The US Forest Service manages more than 192 million acres across the U.S. The agency has estimated that 73 million acres of this land and 59 million acres of privately owned forest land are at high risk of ecologically destructive wildland fire.
Once again in 2007 Wildland Fire has had a major impact on human life, property, and habitat. Some landowners have lost an economic resource that will not be regained in their lifetime, while others have lost a cherished landscape. Also to be considered is the financial cost to suppress the fires and the resources availability to fight the fires.
The National Interagency Fire Center located in Boise, Idaho records the number of Wildland Fires and acres burned annually in the United States.
| Date | Fires | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 (1/1/07 – 9/19/07) |
70,546 | 8,064,011 |
| 2003 – 2007 (5 year average) |
64,511 | 6,524,182 |
It is estimated over 2 million acres have burned in Idaho alone in 2007. And the fire season in the United States is not over for 2007.
NMI offers many services relating to wildland fire. Our staff is experienced in pre-suppression which includes training and fire mitigation planning before a wildfire occurs. We have been involved in writing FEMA approved fire mitigation plans for various counties in Idaho, Montana, Washington, and Oregon and we have participated with other organizations to work with homeowners for protection of their homes from wildfire through project planning and layout, and conducting on-site inspections of fire hazards to homes.
NMI is also involved in fire suppression which includes inspection of independent individuals and their equipment for the US Forest Service, as well as NMI being dispatched to a wildfire with our own personnel and equipment.
NMI personnel are certified through the US Forest Service, Northern Region Coordinating Group (NRCG) to train in Wildland Fire and Prescribed Fire Management. During 2007, NMI trained 400 individuals for various levels of wildland firefighting.
NMI wildland fire personnel and engines to date have accumulated 165 days on wildland fires in Arizona, California, Idaho and Montana.
Native American Tribes, small private landowners, and large Corporations have called our office after a wildland fire has impacted their property. Our services after a wildfire may include: expert witness in court cases, cruise inventory, GIS mapping, boundary determination, timber harvest options, log marketing, rehabilitation and planting.
NMI provides a fuel management program of over 100,000 acres in Idaho, Washington, Montana, Wyoming and other western states. In addition to the above mentioned services, NMI writes prescribed burn plans and implements broadcast, underburning and pile burning for large acreages. Many landowners have used our fuel management services and include universities, private companies, large industrial, small family forest landowners, and Native American Tribes.
Please call our offices and learn what can be done to protect your property from wildfire or rehabilitate your property after a wildfire.