Bonneville County Emergency Management

Low-interest federal disaster loans are available to Idaho businesses and residents affected by the flooding caused by extreme and excessive rainfall that occurred on May 23, announced Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman of the U.S. Small Business Administration. SBA acted under its own authority to declare a disaster in response to a request SBA received from Gov. Brad Little on July 20.
The disaster declaration makes SBA assistance available in Bingham, Bonneville, Caribou, Jefferson, Madison and Teton counties in Idaho; and Lincoln and Teton counties in Wyoming.

Due to a washout on Bear Creek road. Bear Creek Road remains closed and will not be open for Memorial Day weekend. Calamity Campground and Calamity Boating site are also closed. Engineers are still evaluating how to repair roads and no additional accesses have been approved. When recreating in this weekend Bonneville County would like to remind recreationists that road closed signs should not be driven around and are CLOSED TO ALL TRAFFIC.

For more information about the road closure : https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=557156836593534&id=100068976677238&mibextid=Nif5oz

PRESS RELEASE
RE: Winter Road Closures
Starting today, a number of Bonneville County back country and forest roads will be closed for the winter season. These road closures happen every year by order of the Bonneville County Commissioners as winter conditions make it impractical and dangerous to maintain. Several of these roads are part of a groomed trail system maintained by Bonneville County Parks and Recreation and will be open for snowmobiles and tracked vehicles only.

Bonneville County Road and Bridge staff put forth a considerable amount of time and resources to maintain our back country roads. Late fall and early spring, back country roads are particularly difficult to maintain when the ground and road base is soft. It’s this time of year when Sheriff’s Deputies encounter motorists who drive beyond passable road conditions, get stuck in areas with limited cell service, and are not prepared for cold weather conditions. Aside from the dangers of being unprepared to survive extreme weather conditions, retrieval of vehicles from these areas can be very costly and cause extensive damage to the road base and adjacent private property. Damage that requires more time and resources from Road and Bridge to reopen these areas in the spring.

Bonneville County Sheriff’s Deputies ask that motorists adhere to these road closures and avoid driving beyond road closed signs and gates. Just because there are tracks beyond road closed signs does not mean the road is open or safe to travel on. Private property owners who wish to have access to their property beyond the posted road closed signs and gates can apply for a permit at the Road and Bridge Offices at 2700 Manwill Rd. in Idaho Falls. Applications for those permits are approved through the Bonneville County Commissioners. Motorists who do not have a permit and proceed into these closed areas with their vehicle are subject to criminal charges and potential liability for damage to roads or private property.

As always, the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office reminds everyone to respect private property and road restrictions, whether you are driving a vehicle or snowmobile. Take the time to prepare for emergencies, monitor weather conditions, and always tell loved ones where you are going and what time you expect to return. In the unfortunate event you to be rescued, remember that conditions are also dangerous and remote locations take time for first responders to reach you. Being prepared for the elements and for emergency survival can significantly reduce your risk of death or injury and help our Deputies and Search and Rescue Volunteers quickly get you to safety.

Areas that fall under winter road restrictions and closures are in the following areas:

- Kepps Crossing and Eagle Pass roads, East of the Bone Rd.
- Areas East and South of Bone Rd. from the Day Parking lot and Blacktail Reservoir Rd. through the Grays Lake, Brockman, and McCoy Creek area
- Meadow Creek Rd. and the Tex Creek area beyond Ririe Reservoir
- Antelope Creek Rd., Fall Creek Rd. and areas east around Palisades Reservoir to the Wyoming border

Road closure and restricted area maps are updated periodically on the Geographic Information System (GIS) page of the Bonneville County website: www.bonnevillecountyidaho.gov . Bonneville County Ordinance No. 176-96 regarding Snowmobile Trails and Road Closures can also be found on the Bonneville County website and contains definitions and restrictions applied to these areas.

Fire Weather Watch Friday Morning through Friday Evening
Winds: Southwest 15-25 MPH (Gust up to 35)
Humidity: 8-13%
Impacts: Gusty winds and low humidity may create hazardous fire weather conditions.

A fire weather watch means that critical fire weather conditions are forecast to occur. Listen for later forecasts and possible Red Flag Warnings.

Bonneville County Receives Emergency Drought Declaration

The Idaho Department of Water Resources (IDWR) issued an emergency drought declaration on Friday, April 29th, in that includes Bonneville County and 33 other counties south of the Salmon River in Central and Southern Idaho.
This declaration follows the Bonneville County Commissioners’ Declaration of a Drought on March 22nd, and a request for an emergency drought declaration from IDWR under Idaho Code § 42-222A, this declaration is subject to approval from the Governor. On Friday, April 29th, Gov. Brad Little approved the declaration, making it effective immediately.
An emergency drought declaration provides a powerful tool for agricultural water users to cope with drought by allowing temporary water right changes for the remainder of the year. An emergency drought declaration may also help with eligibility requirements for federal drought assistance.
Upon approval of a drought emergency by Gov. Little, IDWR is authorized to consider applications for temporary changes in the point of diversion, place of use, and purpose of use for valid, existing water rights and temporary exchanges of water rights, when it is determined that such changes can be accomplished without harming existing water rights.
All Idaho counties south of the Salmon River are experiencing below-normal snowpack conditions and low water supply. Total cumulative snow water equivalent (SWE) levels in these basins as of April 1, 2022, ranged from 50 to 78 percent of median. The April-to-September streamflow forecasts for most locations south of the Salmon River are between 25 and 75 percent of median. As of April 1, 2022, water storage in most reservoirs serving the southern half of Idaho were between 20 to 65 percent of capacity, increasing the chances that many reservoirs will not fill.

Happy Presidents' Day!

FLASH FREEZING POSSIBLE ON WET ROADS TUESDAY MORNING. More information below.

Upper Snake Highlands & Eastern Highlands - Winter Weather Advisories & Winter Storm Warnings
- Heavy snow continues in the Upper Snake Highlands and through the Big Hole Mountains/Teton Valley tonight
- Winds will increase overnight tonight, gusting as high as 30 mph in the valleys and 40mph at the peaks
- Travel could be very difficult at times

Lower Elevations (Snake Plain) - Winter Weather Advisory
-Daytime temperatures will warm into the 40s ahead of the frontal system allowing for rain or a rain/snow mix during the morning and early afternoon hours
-The cold front moves across the area Tuesday allowing temperatures to drop quickly below freezing which may lead to a flash freeze of wet roads across the area
-Along and behind the cold front a period of gusty snow showers will be possible with locally reduced visibilities possible
-From Tuesday Afternoon through Wednesday Morning: Idaho Falls - 1-3" of snow

Bonneville County Emergency Management would like to thank all veterans and wish them a Happy Veterans Day.

Bonneville County Commissioners passed a resolution amending the County Burn Ban to end today; September 14th, 2021.

Bonneville County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day September 11th, 9AM-3PM.

Stage 1 Fire Restrictions in effect July 15th at midnight.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Idaho Falls District, Idaho Department of Lands, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Caribou-Targhee National Forest (NF) are issuing Stage One Fire Restrictions for all regions in the East Idaho area.

The lingering high temperatures and lack of moisture across eastern Idaho in recent weeks is causing our wildfire potential to increase significantly. East Idaho is now in Extreme Fire Danger across the lowlands and the highlands are in Very High Fire Danger. With the threat of wildfire increasing, Stage One Fire Restrictions will be implemented. The intent of fire restrictions is to reduce fire starts and provide for public safety. The following acts are prohibited on state, state endowment lands, private forested lands and federally managed protected lands until further notice:
• Building, maintaining, attending to, or using a fire, campfire, charcoal grill or stove fire, except within a designated recreation site, and only within a fire structure provided by the administrative agency or landowner.
• Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle, building or designated recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least 3 feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials.

The following are exemptions to the Stage 1 Fire Restrictions:
• Persons with a written permit that specifically authorizes the otherwise prohibited act.
• Persons using fire fueled solely by liquid petroleum or liquid petroleum gas (LPG) fuels. Such devices, including propane campfires, may be used only in an area cleared of flammable material.
• Persons conducting activities in those designated areas where the activity is specifically authorized by written posted notice.
• Any federal, state or local officer or member of an organized rescue or firefighting force in the performance of an official duty.
• All land within a city boundary is exempted.
• Other exemptions unique to each agency.
These restrictions include all lands managed by, or under the fire protection of, the BLM Idaho Falls District, Idaho Department of Lands, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Caribou-Targhee National Forest and privately owned forested lands in Bannock, Bonneville, Bingham, Bear Lake, Butte, Cassia, Clark, Caribou, Freemont, Franklin, Jefferson, Madison, Power, Teton Counties and a portion of Blaine and Oneida Counties. Restrictions for the Caribou-Targhee NF include all CTNF-managed lands in Lemhi County, Idaho, and Teton and Lincoln Counties, Wyoming, and Box Elder County, Utah.