MCGRANE: What I Learned Training Alongside Idaho’s Wildland Firefighters

By Secretary of State Phil McGrane

Highlights from the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office
July 10, 2026

Red Card Ready for Fire Season

This summer, as we head into the dry, hot months, it’s not just athletes in the World Cup getting a red card.

In soccer, a red card means you’re removed from the game. In Idaho, a Wildland Fire Red Card means you’re qualified to step into one of the state’s toughest and most demanding jobs.

This spring, I recertified my Idaho Wildland Fire Red Card by completing the required physical fitness test and training alongside new recruits and experienced firefighters. While I don’t pretend to be a career wildland firefighter, maintaining my certification gives me the opportunity to better understand the work these men and women do and the challenges they face every fire season.

As a member of the Idaho Land Board, I help make decisions affecting more than 2.5 million acres of Idaho’s endowment lands. Wildfire remains one of the greatest threats to those lands, to our communities, and to the people who call Idaho home. For me, firsthand experience is one of the best ways to better understand the issues that come before the Idaho Land Board. Spending time with Idaho’s wildland firefighters provides a valuable perspective that no report or briefing can fully capture.

This year’s fire season is already reminding us why that perspective matters. Following a dry winter and the return of hot summer weather, much of Idaho faces elevated wildfire risk. While our firefighters prepare to respond, each of us has a role to play in preventing human-caused fires. Simple steps like securing trailer chains, fully extinguishing campfires, using fireworks responsibly, and following local fire restrictions can make a real difference.

Most of all, this experience has deepened my appreciation for Idaho’s wildland firefighters. Their work is physically demanding, mentally exhausting, and often unpredictable. They spend long days in difficult conditions protecting our forests, our homes, and our communities. Every season reminds us of the risks they willingly accept, and too many have made the ultimate sacrifice.

We owe these dedicated professionals our gratitude. We also owe them our commitment to do our part to prevent the fires that never need to start.

As Idaho enters another fire season, let’s all do what we can to help keep our communities safe.

Phil McGrane

About Phil McGrane

Phil McGrane was elected Idaho’s twenty-eighth Secretary of State and took office on January 2, 2023. McGrane served as elected Clerk of Ada County from 2019-2022. McGrane holds a bachelor's degree in philosophy, a juris doctorate, and a Master of Public Administration. As a fourth-generation Idahoan, Phil has dedicated his career to making elections in the state of Idaho accessible, secure and transparent.

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