The Idaho Firewise Garden at the College of Western Idaho (CWI) Horticulture & Idaho Botanical Gardens (IBG) was the first firewise demonstration garden developed in Idaho to show homeowners how they can live on the edge of wildlands more safely and beautifully. 2020 Update: The Idaho Firewise Garden is currently open to the public via…

The Idaho Firewise Garden located adjacent to the Idaho Botanical Garden has been temporarily closed to the public due to COVID-19 safety concerns. While the garden is still closed to the public, we are now offering garden tours for 1-2 people at a time. Please contact Brett Van Paepeghem to set up an appointment for…

Garden Gate Magazine reached out to Brett Van Paepeghem of Idaho Firewise this summer to make a visit to the garden and to learn more firewise landscaping. See the video that they shared with their audience here!

Every Yard Counts is a campaign where Idaho Firewise and our collaborators are working with the Green Industry to educate Nursery and Landscape Professionals on best practices for creating survivable space around Idaho homes and communities. Idaho Firewise, in partnership with College of Western Idaho and the Boise Fire Department now offers an Idaho Firewise…

The D & B Garden Show, broadcast by KIDO Radio, recently featured a one-hour spot about fire and the wildland/urban interface. Radio host Debbie Cook, Idaho Master Gardener and Certified Arborist, interviewed Keri Steneck, BLM Fire Prevention Officer and Brett Van Paepeghem, South Idaho Project Leader for Idaho Firewise. The interviews starts with a description…

Idaho Firewise employees a garden assistant as well as an intern every summer. These (lucky!) people help our South Idaho Project Manager, Brett Van Paepeghem, with the daily weeding and raking, planting, sowing and growing that keeps Idaho Firewise Demonstrations gardens looking great.     ID Firewise Garden Journal – Week 1-2 ID Firewise Garden…

Many state and federal programs provide funding to help communities in wildland/urban interface (WUI) areas reduce their wildfire risk. Funding has been awarded to Idaho’s county governments, fire-based emergency services, tribes, and nonprofit organizations. Grants support hazardous fuels reduction, improved readiness and capacity of local fire districts, and community planning. The focus is on reducing…

BOISE — Boise Fire investigators say it was fireworks that started an early morning grass fire on Protest Road in Boise. The fire shot up a hillside and caught some juniper trees on fire, and then a nearby home. Watch the video and read the article now.

TWIN FALLS • As Brett Van Paepeghem drives around neighborhoods, he notices most people aren’t as safe as they might believe. Van Paepeghem, who is the Boise-based southern Idaho project manager at Idaho Firewise, says homeowners often don’t put enough space between the shrubs and trees surrounding their homes. This can increase the risk of…