Looking forward to the summer? Did you hear about the wildfires that burned in the area in 2024? Here are some resources to help you plan your trip to the Sawtooth National Recreation Area this year. Make sure to also check camping and Wilderness rules.
Numerous fires recently burned on the Sawtooth National Recreation Area and beyond. The fires listed below are the larger fires and/or fires that burned near campgrounds, dispersed camping areas, designated trails, and roads.
Developed Campgrounds
The following campgrounds were unaffected by wildfires. However, the areas surrounding them were impacted by fire to varying degrees.
Dispersed Camping
Some dispersed camping areas were affected by recent wildfires. Refer to fire perimeter maps to determine if dispersed camping areas were affected. Dispersed camping is allowed where designated on motor vehicle use maps.
Hiking Trails
Refer to fire perimeter maps to determine if your route may have been affected by a fire. Expect downed trees across the trail and be aware of hazards including falling or weakened trees and limbs, loose rocks, flash flooding and debris flows. Avoided burned areas during high winds and camping under burned trees. Check the Sawtooth National Recreation Area trail report for more specific information.
The Sawtooth National Recreation Area has no predicted closures due to 2024 wildfires at this time. The impacts of these wildfires are hard to miss and can feel heartbreaking, however, they are an important part of our lodgepole ecosystem. In the coming years we will be able to watch changes as plants and animals return to the area. Even the first summer after a fire you may be surprised to see how many plants have already started to regrow.
Here are some things to consider as you plan your trip.
Wildfires on the Sawtooth National Forest generally burn in what is called a “mosaic pattern”. This means some areas burned very hot while other areas were skipped or had a low-intensity underburn with no trees killed.
On your visit to the Sawtooths you will likely see ash and charred trees from wildfires. However, you may notice other changes to the area as well. New burn piles, cut down trees, widened trail or road corridors may also be the result of efforts to put out wildfires.
During a wildfire, fire breaks may be cleared and natural or existing breaks may be widened like trail or road corridors. Fuels reduction, cutting small trees or brush, also helps prevent the spread and intensity of a fire by reducing available fuels. These are all important tools firefighters use to attempt to contain and extinguish wildfires. After a fire has burned, suppression repair takes place. This repair helps mitigate erosion, reduce visual impact, restore natural vegetation, and prevent unauthorized roads or trails being established on the fireline. Despite crews best efforts it may take several years for some areas to look more natural.
