C-PTPA

10/20/2026

🔥 2026 FIRE SEASON COMES TO A CLOSE 🔥

Today, October 20th, marks the official final day of the 2026 fire season!

Open burning begins TOMORROW, October 21st, NOT today.

As we transition out of fire season, the Clearwater-Potlatch Timber Protective Association (CPTPA) would like to remind everyone that the end of fire season does not mean the end of wildfire risk.

While open burning will be permitted beginning October 21st, we encourage everyone to continue practicing safe and responsible burning. Even with cooler temperatures and increased moisture, fires can still escape and spread under the right conditions.

Before you burn, please remember:

- Check local weather conditions and avoid burning during windy weather.
- Have water, tools, and other fire suppression equipment readily available.
- Never leave a fire unattended, even for a short period.
- Maintain adequate clearance around your burn area to prevent fire from spreading.
- Make sure your fire is completely extinguished before leaving the area.

Please remember that local ordinances and other burning restrictions may still apply.

Fire season may be ending, but fire safety is a year-round responsibility.

Stay safe, burn responsibly, and help us keep our communities and forests protected!

07/19/2026

Coffee delivered. Morale restored. ☕🔥

Huge thanks to Black R***e Coffee for donating coffee to our firefighters on the line. Long shifts and early mornings are a little easier with a fresh cup of coffee.

We appreciate the support and everything you do to help keep our crews going. Thanks for thinking of us!

03/02/2026

➡️🇨🇱 Idaho Strike Team Update from Texas🔥🚒💙
Our firefighters didn’t just bring engines and expertise — they brought Idaho values with them!

While staged at a local park in Texas, members of the Idaho Strike Team noticed litter scattered throughout the area. Without being asked, and using their own money, they purchased garbage bags and gloves and got to work cleaning it up.

Because service doesn’t stop at the fire line.

Taking pride in the places we serve.
Leaving it better than we found it.
Looking out for the community — in every way we can.

We’re incredibly proud of these firefighters representing Idaho with professionalism, initiative, and heart. 💙


C-PTPA
Southern Idaho Timber Protective Association INC.

02/26/2026

The last winter program until November.

02/26/2026

02/18/2026

Spring Fire Training Enrollment Now Open

Enrollment is now open for Spring Fire Training for Industrial Cooperator Equipment Operators. Those interested in participating can sign up by visiting www.cptpa.com.

Enrollment will remain open until April 4th.

12/16/2025

10/09/2025

🔥Fire Season Nears Its End – Stay Vigilant with Burning Activities

As fire season comes to a close, the Clearwater-Potlatch Timber Protective Association reminds everyone that fire danger doesn’t end overnight. Cooler temperatures and occasional rain can give a false sense of safety, but dry fuels remain and fires can still escape.

If you plan to burn this fall:
✅ **Check** current burn regulations and permit requirements.
✅ **Prepare** a clear control line around your burn area.
✅ **Keep** tools and water on site at all times.
✅ **Never** leave your fire unattended.
✅ **Ensure** it is completely out and cold to the touch before you leave.

Even as the season slows down, safe burning practices are still essential to protect our forests, communities, and firefighters.

Stay safe, burn responsibly, and help us prevent late-season wildfires.

07/11/2025

Heads up, folks.

If you’re driving near a wildfire or along a fireline — slow. down.
Our crews are working right next to the road, often with limited visibility and zero protection from traffic.

You might not know this, but getting hit by a vehicle is one of the leading causes of firefighter and first responder deaths. Not fire. Not smoke. Not heat.
Cars.

We’re not behind big fire engines — we’re out in the open, on foot, sometimes just feet from moving traffic. And all it takes is one distracted driver.

If you see flashing lights, flaggers, cones, or firefighters:
👉 Ease off the gas
👉 Stay alert
👉 Give space

We’ll get the fire.
You just get us home

📸: Nenana Ridge Complex, Pioneer Peak hotshot watching the smoke column while cars are being piloted through the parks Highway. DOF/Courtney Erichson

07/08/2025

We want to let the public know about the significant dangers and operational impacts of unauthorized drone flights over active wildfires.

It is imperative that the public understands the profound and immediate consequences of flying a drone, no matter how small, near a wildfire incident. When an unauthorized drone is detected in the airspace above a wildfire, all manned firefighting aircraft including air tankers dropping retardant and helicopters transporting water and personnel are immediately grounded.

This grounding is not a suggestion; it is a mandatory safety protocol. Pilots operate at low altitudes, often in smoky and turbulent conditions, where visibility is already compromised. A collision with a drone, even a small one, could be catastrophic, leading to a loss of life and the destruction of vital firefighting assets. The risk is simply too great.

The grounding of air support due to drone interference has direct and significant impacts on our ability to control and suppress wildfires:

• Loss of Critical Time: Wildfires spread rapidly. Every minute that air operations are halted is a minute the fire can grow unchecked, potentially expanding to threaten more homes,
infrastructure, and natural resources.

• Reduced Effectiveness: Air tankers deliver thousands of gallons of retardant to create firebreaks and cool hot spots. Grounding these assets significantly reduces the effectiveness in containing a wildfire.

• Increased Danger to Ground Crews: Without aerial support to knock down the intensity of the fire or cut off its advance, ground crews face increased risks and more challenging conditions, putting their lives on the line.

Flying a drone over or near a wildfire is not only incredibly dangerous but also illegal. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations prohibit unauthorized aircraft, including drones, from flying in temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) established around wildfires. Violators can face significant fines, civil penalties, and even criminal charges.

The Pocatello Fire Department encourages all drone operators to be responsible and aware. Before flying, always check for TFRs and adhere strictly to all aviation regulations. Your momentary curiosity or desire for a photo could jeopardize the safety of firefighters and the effectiveness of our efforts to protect the community. We urge everyone to give firefighters the space they need, both on the ground and in the air, to do their work safely and efficiently.