This Summer Reminded Us What Boundary County Is Made Of

If you live here, you don't need us to tell you how scary this fire season has been. In mid July, the Turner Fire broke out about eight miles north of Bonners Ferry near Copeland, and it moved fast. Driven by 40 to 45 mile per hour winds, it grew to 300 acres almost overnight and forced roughly 100 homes to evacuate. At the same time, the Upper Smith Fire was burning northwest of town near Porthill, eventually growing to well over 3,000 acres.

For a lot of families, that meant Level 3 "Go Now" evacuation orders in the middle of the night, packing what you could grab, and heading for the fairgrounds without knowing what you'd come home to.

What It Was Like on the Ground

At the peak, around 250 residents were under Ready, Set, or Go evacuation orders. Hundreds of firefighters from local, state, and federal agencies responded, working through brutal wind and dry conditions. The fire's cause is still under investigation. For a few tense days, Boundary County Fire Departments were fully deployed, and even a public safety power shutoff was briefly planned before being called off.

If you evacuated, or spent those nights checking the Boundary County Sheriff's Office updates every few minutes, you know exactly the kind of fear we're talking about. That helpless feeling of not knowing if your home would still be standing.

How the Community Showed Up

This is the part that always gets us about living here. The Boundary County Fairgrounds opened as a shelter, with the Red Cross on site helping displaced families. Neighbors checked on neighbors. People opened up spare rooms, hauled water, and showed up for each other without being asked.

It's the kind of response you hope for but never want to actually need. And once again, this community proved it shows up when it counts.

Where Things Stand Now

As of mid August, the Upper Smith Fire was around 30 percent contained and crews continued strengthening fuel breaks and monitoring hot spots. The Turner Fire has since been contained. Governor Little issued a wildfire disaster emergency declaration covering Boundary County to help support ongoing monitoring, response, and recovery efforts.

The First Thing You Should Do When You Get Home Tonight

With fires this close to home, here's a simple task that can save you thousands of dollars and countless hours of stress later, make a video walkthrough of your own home, highlighting every major appliance and expensive item you own.

If your home is damaged in a fire or flood, your insurance company will need an itemized list of everything that needs to be replaced, including make, model, year, and brand name. Depending on the extent of the damage, pulling that list together from memory can be incredibly difficult and overwhelming.

Trying to recall the exact make and model of your toaster, or every pair of shoes you own, without having them in front of you is not easy. Having it all on video makes it far easier to identify what needs replacing and gives you solid proof of ownership.

This 10 to 15 minute video can genuinely save you thousands of dollars should something happen. It's a good idea to redo it yearly as you make home upgrades or buy new appliances.

What to Film

A few things not to miss when you're recording:

All kitchen appliance make and model labels, including small appliances tucked inside cabinets
Washer and dryer make and model labels, usually found inside the lids
Your garage or shed, including toolbox contents, power tools, and lawn maintenance equipment
Televisions and gaming consoles
Bathroom items like hair dryers and straighteners (some of these cost hundreds to replace)
Vacuums, robot vacuums, and carpet cleaners
Laptops, printers, and tablets
Any collector's items you own, like records, paintings, or books
Watches and jewelry
A once over of your closets for shoes and clothing

Talk to Your Insurance Agent Too

Once you've got your video done, it's worth a quick call to your local insurance agent to make sure your coverage actually matches what you own. A couple of local agencies we'd point you toward:

Insure It All, LLC, 7156 Main St, Bonners Ferry, 208-267-5621
Michael Wold, State Farm Insurance Agent, 6813 El Paso St Ste 2, Bonners Ferry, 208-267-2923
Idaho Farm Bureau Insurance, 6476 Main St, Bonners Ferry, 208-267-5502

Why We're Sharing This

We talk a lot about what makes Bonners Ferry special, the scenery, the small town feel, the slower pace of life. But moments like this summer show the real thing that makes it special, the people. If you're already part of this community, thank you for showing up the way you did. And if you're thinking about making North Idaho home, this is exactly the kind of place you're choosing. And if you haven't made that home inventory video yet, tonight's a good night to do it.

Forest and Jenny Graham are Realtors with NextHome 365 Realty serving Bonners Ferry and the surrounding North Idaho area.