All Roll Calls
Yes: 95 • No: 7
IdahoH 03892025 regular legislative sessionHouse
UNCONTROLLED FIRES – Amends and adds to existing law to provide that a fire burning out of control on federal land in Idaho is a nuisance and cost recovery actions related to such fires are subject to a statute of limitations after ten years, and to allow the governor to direct state resources to suppress fires on federal land.
Sponsored By: STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
Signed by Governor
UNCONTROLLED FIRES
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Idaho can fight federal land fires
The governor can declare an emergency when an uncontrolled federal-land fire threatens Idaho residents' health, safety, or welfare. An imminent threat to property owned by the state, local governments, or Idaho residents also qualifies. After declaring an emergency, the governor can send state resources to help fight the fire. The governor can also authorize deficiency warrants—state payment orders drawn by the State Controller against the General Fund. The attorney general must sue to recover the state's costs, with recovered money returned to that fund to offset the warrants.
Idaho fire duties and lawsuit limits
Across Idaho, forest and range fires are public nuisances when uncontrolled or when proper precautions against spreading are missing, regardless of land ownership. Those responsible must make reasonable efforts to control or extinguish them immediately, without waiting for state instructions. State fire officials can act directly and recover firefighting costs from anyone willfully or negligently responsible; criminal penalties can also apply. Recovered money goes to the Forest Protection Fund. For negligent or unintentional fires—not willful or intentional acts—damages are limited to reasonable firefighting costs, verifiable financial losses, and either lost property value or reasonable, practical costs to restore the property. Claims against state or local governments also remain subject to government liability limits. Civil lawsuits under this fire law have a ten-year filing limit, overriding other laws. The act took effect upon passage and approval.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
Affiliation unavailable
Cosponsors
Judy Boyle
Republican • House
Mark Harris
Republican • Senate
Roll Call Votes
Senate vote • 4/1/2025
Senate Floor Vote
Yes: 32 • No: 1
House vote • 3/19/2025
House Floor Vote
Yes: 63 • No: 6
Actions Timeline
Reported Signed by Governor on April 3, 2025 Session Law Chapter 277 Effective: 04/03/2025
4/4/2025Delivered to Governor at 4:20 p.m. on April 2, 2025
4/3/2025Returned Signed by the President; Ordered Transmitted to Governor
4/2/2025SenateSigned by President; returned to House
4/2/2025SenateReceived from the House enrolled/signed by Speaker
4/2/2025SenateReported Enrolled; Signed by Speaker; Transmitted to Senate
4/1/2025HouseReturned from Senate Passed; to JRA for Enrolling
4/1/2025HouseRead third time in full – PASSED - 32-1-2
4/1/2025SenateRead second time; filed for Third Reading
3/27/2025SenateReported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation; Filed for second reading
3/26/2025SenateIntroduced, read first time; referred to: State Affairs
3/20/2025SenateReceived from the House passed; filed for first reading
3/20/2025SenateRead Third Time in Full – PASSED - 63-6-1
3/19/2025HouseRead second time; Filed for Third Reading
3/18/2025HouseReported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation, Filed for Second Reading
3/17/2025HouseReported Printed and Referred to Resources & Conservation
3/11/2025HouseIntroduced, read first time, referred to JRA for Printing
3/10/2025House
Bill Text
Bill Text
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