The Idaho Land Board has postponed a vote on raising a key wildfire preparedness fee, pushing the decision to August while board members raise questions about how the proposed increase would be applied across different types of properties.

The Idaho Department of Lands put forward the proposal to increase the surcharge on improved lots and parcels from the current $40 to $90 — a significant jump that would be the first change to the fee structure since 2009, when the rate was raised from $20 to $40. The per-acre assessment would remain unchanged at 60 cents.

What the Increase Would Fund

State Forester Julia Lauch outlined the case for the higher rate, explaining that the funding obligation is intentionally directed at properties most clearly situated in the wildland-urban interface — the zone where developed areas meet fire-prone forests and grasslands.

Lauch also pushed back on the idea that property value should influence how fire protection is calculated. “The value of that structure doesn’t change the way we fight fire,” she said.

The proposed rate would generate an estimated $3.4 million annually statewide. Of that amount, roughly $1.3 million would close an existing annual deficit in the preparedness fund, while $1.1 million is slated for fiscal year 2028 funding requests. The remaining revenue would go toward firefighter recruitment, wildfire detection improvements, and equipment modernization. The department has set a target of maintaining at least $5 million in the preparedness fund as a baseline.

It’s worth noting that the fire preparedness fund operates separately from the state’s wildfire suppression fund. Historically, the preparedness side has been supported by an even division between a dedicated fire fund and the state general fund, supplemented by federal grants.

Legislation Already Set the Ceiling

The Land Board is not acting without legislative backing. House Bill 511, passed during the 2026 session, authorized the Idaho Department of Lands to charge up to $100 per improved lot or parcel — giving the agency room to propose the $90 rate without requiring additional legislative action. The Land Board retains the authority to set the actual figure within that authorized ceiling.

At the same time, the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee restored $140,300 to the Forest and Range Fire Protection Program for fiscal year 2027, though the program still faces a total ongoing cut of $318,300. The restored funds are directed toward boosting personnel at the Eastern Idaho Forest Protective District in Twin Falls.

Board Members Raise Questions

Despite the legislative authorization, two Land Board members signaled reservations before the vote was delayed.

Attorney General Raúl Labrador questioned whether a single flat rate is appropriate given the wide variation in structure values across properties covered by the assessment. His concern centered on whether a tiered approach might be more equitable.

Secretary of State Phil McGrane expressed reluctance to approve the $90 figure without a more deliberate process involving stakeholders who would be affected by the change. The delay to August is intended to allow for further review before the board takes a final vote.

What Comes Next

The Land Board is expected to take up the proposal again when it reconvenes in August. If approved, the new $90 rate would represent the steepest single increase to the improved lot surcharge in the program’s recent history, more than doubling the fee that has been in place for over 15 years.

The outcome will have implications for property owners across Idaho’s forested and rural-residential areas, particularly those in fire-prone zones where IDL provides direct protection services. As the state continues working through budget pressures — including questions about federal funding stability, such as recent uncertainty around AmeriCorps grants — how Idaho funds its wildfire preparedness infrastructure is likely to remain a point of debate heading into the next legislative session.

Local fee and funding decisions are drawing attention across Idaho more broadly. In Ada County, voters will weigh in this November on a road fee renewal that has sparked its own debate over how assessments are structured and who bears the burden.