Planning an Idaho Elopement This Summer? Here's How to Prepare for Fire Season
Summertime in Idaho boasts some of the best times you could have. There's the perfect weather for boating, hiking trails open to explore, prime barbeque season, and gorgeous sunsets. With the ideal summer also comes a pretty significant concern: fire season. For the past few years, Idaho's summers have become prime fire season with dry conditions and mild winters.
Now, does that mean completely forgoing the summer elopement plans? Nope! This just means being a little more mindful and prepared before setting out this summer.
Idaho Fire Season
For Idaho, fire season starts around June and dies down around September. This, of course, depends on conditions of the previous winter and spring, but that's about where it averages. Rather than letting that window stop you from planning, just prepare beforehand!
What could happen without preparation
Don't go into this summer uninformed! Wildfires can affect so many aspects of your day if you aren't set up correctly. That could mean major road closures, area closures (BLM, state parks, etc.), air quality risks, and difficulty getting to certain locations. This is why flexibility is your friend!
How to plan (without panicking!)
Flexibility can be scary when you love a plan (trust me, I get it) but when things are out of your control, this is actually how your day will be the most enjoyable!
First, pick a primary AND secondary location for your elopement. Planning to say vows at that super cool alpine lake you found? If it ends up being in a closed area due to fire, you'd be out of luck. That's why keeping a second location in mind is always a safe bet!
Keep an eye on the air quality and wildfire maps in the weeks leading up to your Idaho elopement. Maybe there's no fires closing your location but the air quality is terrible. No one wants to get sick on their elopement day because you're breathing in smoky air! The tools I'd recommend to keep an eye on these things are the WatchDuty app, InciWeb, and AirNow.
Keep your timeline open. This way, you're not locked into just one spot and can hop around depending on the situation.
Make sure you book a photographer familiar with the Idaho wildfire season and can build your day with optimal flexibility. As an Idaho native, I'm VERY familiar with fire season, its restrictions, and how quickly things can change. As an Idaho elopement photographer and planner, I make sure I'm up to date on all the local fires and if things need to pivot, I'll make it happen without the stress!
The Silver Lining
Despite everything, there really is a silver lining to this! Smoky skies may block some views of the mountains, but it also makes for some of the most beautiful golden diffused lighting. Really, some of the most breathtaking elopement photos come from hazy skies and a golden red sunset.
Wildfire season doesn't have to derail your Idaho elopement. Being prepared is half of it and being flexible is the other. The couples who have the best experiences are the ones that go in informed and ready with a backup plan.
Want to elope in Idaho this summer?
Not only have I shot smoky elopements, I'm always up to date on fire conditions, road closures, and ready with a backup. Let's talk through your date, your location ideas, and what a solid backup plan looks like for you.
