Two Obama cabinet members tour NIFC; Discuss 2012 fire season outlook

CREATED Jul. 3, 2012

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  • Eric Fink spoke with Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. Video by IdahoOnYourSide.com

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Two members of President Obama's cabinet touched down in Boise today.

Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack toured the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise Tuesday.

The secretaries are wrapping up a two-day tour of Colorado and Idaho after destructive wildfires tore through both states.

Almost 30,000 acres have burned in the early stages of the 2012 fire season, including a large 1,000 acre fire that destroyed 66 homes in Pocatello last week. 

Both Napolitano and Vilsack praised NIFC's response efforts and said it is imperative citizens and firefighters work together to stay safe in what promises to be a long, hot, dry summer out west.

"If you haven't cleared some property and created some space, if you haven't cleared some business, now is the time to do so," Secretary Napolitano said.

"What we saw in Colorado today is a reminder that when defensible space is created, our firefighters have a much better chance of saving a home or a business if a fire jumps the line."

Here in the Treasure Valley, the Bureau of Land Management expects one of the most difficult fire seasons in the past decade.