10/04/07 Otter signs 4-state fire suppression agreement

Governor Butch Otter has put his signature on a four state agreement pledging cooperation with Utah, Wyoming and Nevada on actions that would prevent catastrophic wildfires and rehabilitation of burned land. You will recall in August that Otter met with the other three governors and they agreed to develop a memorandum of understanding on wildfire suppression, prevention and rehabilitation. More than two million acres of Idaho public and private lands were burned in this summer's wildfires. Utah sustained massive losses too and Governor Jon Huntsman talked about a common problem all four states face. HUNTSMAN " To replant and define seed or species types that are more fire resistant, fire retardant than what we have dealt with in the past where with cheat grass you see fire year in and year out. That is totally unacceptable." Governor Otter has formed a statewide rehabilitation committee consisting of the directors of the state departments of agriculture, land, fish and game, water resources, transportation and environmental quality to worth with the other three states on implementing the agreement. Next Tuesday Otter will call for volunteers to gather wild plant seeds for use in the rehabilitation effort on rangelands burned this summer. Fish and Game will lead that effort. Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott