BOISE, Idaho — Stopping the Valley Fire before it burned any homes this month was a team effort — one that included nearby Firewise communities.
"I look at this as a wonderful success of all the preventative measures that have gone into place," said Jim Hunter, Boise Hunter Home founder.
Hunter said the roads created as part of Harris North acted as fire breaks that helped keep the fire away from older, more vulnerable neighborhoods and created better access for firefighters.
The water tower they built also provided access for firefighters, he said.
"We tell our employees ... it's not a matter of if it will burn," Hunter said. "It's really a matter of when there'll be fires in the foothills."
The infrastructure, which he said was required by the City of Boise under its Wildland Urban Interface Overlay, helped the development become part of a growing trend in Southern Idaho.
Currently, Firewise USA recognizes 17 communities in Ada County. Program manager Megan Fitzgerald-McGowan said most, like Harris North, are in the foothills.
"It's that commitment to living with wildfire [and] being a part of the solution," she said. "Our program is really about, how do we engage those in being as safe as they can be ... recognizing we need homes; we need communities; we need places for people to live, but we need them to live in a safe way."
Hunter said they always prioritize safety when building, with a special focus on wildfire prevention efforts.
"When we construct the homes, we make sure they are built through Firewise materials, with Firewise practices," he said. "So, when there is a fire, we can have a high level of confidence that nothing serious is going to come out of it."
The Valley Fire has burned more than 9,000 acres and is 90% contained. No homes burned down — on the Boise side and the Robie Creek side, which is where the firefight is now.
"It all worked, I'd say very, very well," Hunter said. "As well as one could actually expect."
Firewise USA is under the National Protection Association. It recognizes communities with eight to 2,500 homes.
But Fitzgerald-McGowan said anyone can learn how to responsibly live in a fire-prone area. That might look like picking up dried leaves, grass and other fuel on someone's property.
"We need people who live in Idaho to recognize, hey, we live where wildfires burn, but there are things we can do to be prepared, and we're going to be a part of the solution and really own the actions that we take," she said.
Who will foot the bill for the Valley Fire is still up in the air. The Idaho Department of Lands estimates the fire has cost about $3 million dollars so far.
That number will continue to go up as crews bring containment to 100% and start rehab efforts.
Fire bureau chief Josh Harvey oversees wildfire investigations. They recently found a cross arm on an Idaho Power pole had broken, which caused an energized wire to touch the ground and start the fire.
"Those facts get basically elevated to all the interested parties, legal teams and the attorneys then will need to be working together to figure out what the appropriate resolution is going forward," he said.
Harvey said it will be months, if not longer, before everything gets sorted out.