Eastern Idaho Interagency Fire Center (EIIFC) was opened in the spring of 1995 as a cooperative effort between the Idaho Falls District Bureau of Land Management and Caribou-Targhee National Forest. Facilities and resources are shared between the two agencies to provide for fire coordination on over 7.5 million acres of public lands, encompassing 21 counties within four
states, including southeastern Idaho, southern Montana,
western Wyoming, and northern Utah.
On average, EIIFC resources fight 126 fires locally every year. These resources -- prepositioned at any of 16 fire stations across the zone -- include
engines, an air tanker base, air attack, helicopters, hand crews (20 members each), and camp crews (10 members each), along with miscellaneous overhead personnel. The interagency dispatch center facilitates communications across the fire zone and provides resource tracking and support for all participating agencies.
An Interagency Fire Business Management Team which includes
contract and procurement specialists from all agencies was established
to facilitate procurement, supplies, and contracting and payment of equipment and services. An interagency Fire Information Team handles external affairs
during overload situations.
Since its creation 20 years ago, additional state and federal cooperators have been included in EIIFC's operations, and 38 cooperative agreements have been created with city and rural fire departments.
Cooperating and Contract Agencies:
- State of Idaho
- U.S. Department of the Interior
- U.S. Department of Agriculture
Overview map of EIIFC's fire protection responsibilities
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Firefighters hiking Big Southern Butte |
2015 Fire Resources Include:
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16 Fire Stations (American Falls, Ashton, Atomic City, Blackfoot, Chubbuck, Driggs, Dubois, Fort Hall, Idaho Falls, Island Park, Malad, Montpelier, Pocatello, Salmon, Soda Springs, and Swan Valley)
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24 engines (11 BLM and 13 Forest Service)
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2 Bulldozers (American Falls and Idaho Falls)
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1 Watertender (Idaho Falls)
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3 Helicopters (1 Type 3 and 1 Type 1 in Pocatello and 1 Type 3 in Swan Valley)
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1 20-person interagency hotshot crew (Snake River Hotshots – Pocatello)
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1 20-person Type 2 handcrew (Centennial Handcrew – Island Park)
- The Targhee Regular Crew is an additional 20-person Type 2 handcrew which can be mobilized if needed
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4 20-person Type 2 handcrews upon request (2 Fort Hall Shoban Crews and 2 St. Anthony Work Camp Crews – Sawtell Blazers and Henry’s Fork)
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Tanker base in Pocatello
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Almost 200 fire personnel
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