Kootenai CountyTop story
Smoky skies near Cd'A are prescribed burns, and Kootenai County counted votes faster
90sforecast air quality index near Coeur d'Alene
The forecast comes with scheduled burns underway in Bottom Canyon.
Source: Bonner County Daily Bee
If you've seen smoky skies near Coeur d'Alene, there are indeed fires. They're scheduled prescribed burns, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The air quality index is forecast to be in the 90s.
“Pile burning is a tool often used in the fall months to remove hazardous fuel (excess vegetation) from the landscape,” Forest Service Public Information Officer Kary Maddox said in an email. The agency's current focus around Kootenai County is the Wildland-Urban Interface, to reduce wildfire risk to communities.
- Where: Bottom Canyon, east of Hayden Lake and north of Fernan Saddle
- Why fall: colder air and higher humidity
- Larger projects: coordinated through the Montana Idaho Airshed Group
Prescribed burns do more than clear brush
| Benefit | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Soil nutrients | Recycled |
| Invasive species | Suppressed |
| Future plant growth | Heat cracks hard seed coats |
Source: Bonner County Daily Bee
On the voting side, Kootenai County saw high turnout in Tuesday's general election, and election staff said voting equipment upgrades sped up tabulation.
