Idaho
State of Idaho facing $45.8M in estimated wildfire expenses this year • Idaho Capital Sun
With the state facing an estimated $45.8 million in wildfire expenses so far this season, Idaho Gov. Brad Little and other state officials are discussing the need to replenish the fund before next year.
During the last legislative session, the state pre-funded its emergency fire suppression fund at about $68 million, Idaho Department of Lands Director Dustin Miller said Tuesday. Miller briefed Little and other state officials Tuesday during a meeting of the State Board of Land Examiners at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise.
So far this year, the state has spent an estimated $51.1 million, about $5.2 million of which is reimbursable costs, Miller said. That leaves the state on the hook for about $45.8 million so far.
“Here we are, mid-September, we’ve got rain,” Miller said. “Things are winding down, but that doesn’t mean we’re out of the woods yet. But I’m confident that we will not go past that amount that’s been pre-funded. But certainly we would welcome any opportunity to have that conversation about pre-funding this suppression account again ahead of the next legislative session.”
The state may also incur other cost-share expenses for fires that are burning primarily on federal land but also include acres of state lands or other parcels the state is responsible for, Miller said.
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By comparison, the state’s net fire expenses a year ago in September 2023 were just $14.6 million, according to Idaho Department of Lands documents.
Little asked for updates on wildfire expenses Tuesday. He also expressed frustration that large fires burning on federal lands, such as the Wapiti Fire that has been burning near Stanley and Idaho Highway 21 since July 24, were not contained early and then became large wildfires.
“They have got to do more containment, and they’ve got to do more management,” Little said.
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One thing officials can do is cut and remove dead trees, Little said. During the meeting, Little said a small mill wanted access to dead lodgepole pine trees near Stanley, but was denied by the U.S. Forest Service.
“We’re going to have to make our case to the public about if they don’t like smoke and they don’t like mercury in the air and they don’t like fish habitat being destroyed, the Forest Service is going to have to up their game for management,” Little said.
The Idaho Legislature will decide whether to approve additional pre-funding for the emergency fire suppression fund once the 2025 legislative session convenes in January.
If the Idaho Legislature does not pre-fund the emergency fire fund, Idaho Department of Lands officials can still fight wildfires next year, but they would need to bring their bills to the Idaho Legislature after the fact in 2026 as supplemental requests or warrants.
“To the extent a move to pre-fund the (fire) suppression account can happen again, that would be very welcomed,” Miller told Little. “That provides us with that security that those funds are there. Otherwise, we still spend the money, but then go back and ask the Legislature to cover the bills for us, of course. So pre-funding is always a good idea.”
PAYETTE — A Payette mom’s bond was revoked Tuesday after she was charged with suffocating her twin children earlier this month and is believed to pose a danger to the life of her newborn child.
The case, which has drawn national headlines, concerns Andrea Renee Shaw, a 23-year-old Payette mother who in May 2025 said her 18-month-old fraternal twins died the same day, after receiving routine childhood vaccinations. In January, Shaw joined as a plaintiff in a federal lawsuit filed by Children’s Health Defense, an anti-vaccine organization founded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., with several other plaintiffs claiming vaccine injury or death.
Kennedy, who now serves as secretary of Health and Human Services, is no longer part of the group after taking on the cabinet position, as was reported by the Associated Press.
In Idaho, the twins’ deaths prompted a 14-month investigation by the Payette County Sheriff’s Department. On June 29, the investigation yielded a grand jury indictment of Shaw on two counts of first-degree murder by suffocation. If convicted, Shaw can be punished by up to life in prison or the death penalty, and the court would have the ability to order the penalties be served consecutively, or back to back.
Tuesday’s arraignment at the Payette County Courthouse was primarily attended by Shaw’s relatives and members of the media. Payette County Judge Kiley Stuchlik, who serves Idaho’s Third Judicial District, presided.
A key consideration for Stuchlik on Tuesday was a request from Joseph Filicetti, the legal counsel for Shaw, to have her bond reduced from $2 million to $100,000. Filicetti said this would allow for Shaw to care for a newborn girl, who, according to court documents, was born by caesarean section on June 25, four days prior to Shaw’s grand jury indictment.
State prosecutors objected to the motion for bond reduction, noting at hand was a potential death penalty case and asserting, unlike her husband, Shaw’s story repeatedly changed during questioning. Prosecuting Attorney Mike Duke said releasing Shaw would ultimately put the newborn’s safety at risk.
“That child is the most at risk. We do not think she should be allowed to be anywhere near any children, let alone her own children,” Duke said.
Stuchlik decided to revoke bond entirely, stating Shaw posed a “risk of safety” to the newborn child that was not known to Stuchlik or prosecutors when the $2 million bond was initially set.
Also for consideration Tuesday was a request to have grand jury transcripts of witness testimony provided to prosecutors and defense counsel to prepare their respective cases.
Idaho
Idaho is home to the nation's first DarkSky Reserve. Now it's home to the nations first DarkSky Certified Resort
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – A controversy is brewing as the City of Idaho Falls reviews its alcohol ordinance.
The goal is to consolidate four existing ordinances for beer, wine and liquor into a single law and ensure compliance with state code.
However, at its meeting last Thursday, the Idaho Falls City Council unanimously voted to remove the proposed ordinance from its agenda, in order to receive and consider additional public comment.
The proposed ordinance would:
1. Require commercial establishments selling, dispensing or permitting consumption of alcohol – including beer, wine or liquor – to have an alcohol license, alcohol catering permit or a charitable event permit.
2. Business events with 20 or less employees consuming alcohol at the business would be allowed.
3. Require alcohol servers to complete training every three years.
4. Individuals who violate the law could be charged with a misdemeanor.
Idaho Falls City Council President Jim Francis said the changes were the culmination of months of collaboration between law enforcement, business owners and city attorneys.
“We wanted to provide a safe environment – the primary point here – for public gatherings,” Francis said. “We recognize that certain antiquated elements of the current code are overly restrictive and needed to be addressed. We wanted to make the code more accessible to the public. We needed to address over-pouring issues. We wanted to reduce penalties where possible for violations, particularly the first offenses, and yet make the code clear enough to be enforceable consistently by law enforcement.”
But City Council Member John Radford said the changes represent an overreach by city government.
“I believe it’s a bad policy. What problem are we solving in the name of trying to solve a non-problem?” Radford said. “We’re becoming big brother around alcohol in your private property. I’m concerned that landlords will be at risk of being charged with a misdemeanor if they knowingly, which I made sure that was in there, because that is what we’ve been talking about, allowed people to drink in our business. We will be outside the norm of Idaho cities. This is a big step, and I don’t think the public has weighed in on this.”
At a City Council Work Session on June 1, Idaho Falls Chief of Police Bryce Johnson cited an increase in alcohol-related crime – particularly downtown – as a reason for the changes.
“DUI is there, but this would include sexual assaults, assaults, batteries, disturbances, urination, public vandalism, shooting – all sorts of crimes,” Johnson said.
But business owners are concerned about the potential impact on commercial enterprises.
“The ordinance doesn’t address the real problem – which is people drinking … at one event and then showing up in a bar or restaurant already hammered and causing problems anyway,” ” said Terri Ireland, representing the Idaho Falls Downtown Merchants Association. “The industry is really well-regulated by state and local laws already.”
The City of Idaho Falls began the process of updating its alcohol ordinance in January 2026, seeking input from community stakeholders.
Multiple community members spoke out about the ordinance.
For more in-depth information, you can read the full 39-page proposed alcohol ordinance here.
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