Story Highlight: Idaho ranchers work to cut down on fire fuel

Behind the story:

I always felt drawn to the landscape outside of Boise, so naturally I like to get out of town and tell stories of the people who appreciate the land too.

During my time covering Idaho news, I’ve noticed a pattern of fire season affecting more people than we realize. Fire is scary, it makes unreal visuals. People see it on the news, they may look more into where it’s coming from when they see smoke. But the story stops once the fire is out and the air clears.

There are those who are affected further. The threat of fire lingers in the summer months for ranchers, but that doesn’t stop them from putting in the work prior to fire season. They voluntarily learn how to fight fires, and like the story shows above, mitigate the land.

So why does this matter to our viewers?

The Bureau of Land Management, which is funded by tax dollars, works with ranchers as a tool to fight fires. There is some efficiency in this as it benefits both the BLM and the ranchers. There are some factors that add up in costs for the ranchers, like hiring people to herd animals, but they don’t need to worry about feeding their animals in the spring. The BLM works with the ranchers at no cost, however, there is some state grants applied.

But overall, as a journalist, I feel like I have the responsibility to tell all stories in all locations. It is stories that connect us, and help us understand where we live and come from. With this story specifically, it brings perspective beyond the fire. When we see a fire on the news, we may feel for the land, but do we think about the people who use it?

Full story: https://bit.ly/3g1a3k2