IDAHO — Idaho’s winter is trending toward historically below-average conditions, with record-low snowpack at lower elevations now raising red flags for wildfire season.
Water and weather experts say they’re seeing patterns similar to years past — and if current conditions continue, fire season could be a busy one.
“It’s like one of the dominoes has already fallen with this low snowpack,” said Jim Wallmann, a meteorologist with the National Interagency Fire Center. “Do we have the others? Do we have a relatively warm and dry spring that continues into early summer? Then it will only take one good heat wave, and we could be off to the races.”
Hear directly from the experts who say this winter’s snowpack could shape Idaho’s fire season —
Water and Weather experts both are recognizing patterns of years past and if our current weather pattern continues, fire season could be a busy one
“It’s like one of the dominoes has already fallen with this low snow pack... do we have the others do we have a relatively warm and dry spring that continues into early summer and then it will only take one good heatwave,and we could be off to the races,” said Jim Wallmann, meteorologist with the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC).
Snowpack plays a larger role than just refilling Idaho’s reservoirs. Slow runoff helps keep forest floors moist and supports vegetation growth. Without adequate snowpack, those safeguards disappear during a warm, dry summer — creating conditions that make it easier for wildfires to ignite and spread.
The concern isn’t limited to Idaho.
“This is a western United States problem,” said Alejandro Flores, a geosciences professor at Boise State University. “California is below average. Nevada is below average. Much of Utah is below average. This is something being experienced throughout the western United States.”
A cooler, wetter spring could still help, but lower elevations in Idaho are running out of time to build snowpack
