Tubbs Hill trails close for mitigation

The City of Coeur d’Alene began temporary closures on several Tubbs Hill trails on May 25 for wildfire fuel-reduction work, according to a city notice and local reporting. The work is being carried out with the Kootenai County FireSmart Program and focuses on the south side of the hill. (cdaid.org) City officials said crews are removing hazardous dead trees and cutting dry vegetation ahead of summer. The closures are temporary and tied to public safety while crews work near trails. ### Which trails are affected right now? The city said several Tubbs Hill trails on the south side are subject to temporary closures during the project, with signs and barriers posted for hikers. (cdapress.com) Coeur d’Alene Trails Coordinator Shane O’Shea told the Coeur d’Alene Press that the closures are meant to keep the public away from active work zones. “We will have signs out and barriers to remind people that the trails will be temporarily closed,” O’Shea said. “This is for the safety of the general public.” The city’s May 21 notice did not list every segment by name in the excerpt available online, but it said crews are working on the south side of Tubbs Hill as part of Phase 2 of the project. (cdaid.org) ### What are crews doing on Tubbs Hill? Phase 2 includes cutting and piling ground and ladder fuels and removing hazardous dead trees, or snags, according to the city. O’Shea said some of those dead trees could fall near trails, which is one reason the city closed access in work areas. O’Shea told the Coeur d’Alene Press that crews are “removing all the small diameter forest fuels that don’t typically take as much to ignite and carry the fire.” Local television coverage also reported that workers were taking down dead trees and clearing dry brush ahead of fire season. (cdapress.com) (cdaid.org) ### How big is this phase, and what was done before? The city said Phase 2 will treat about 13 acres on the south side of Tubbs Hill. Phase 1, completed in 2025, treated 58 acres on the north side, according to the city notice. (cdaid.org) The Coeur d’Alene Press reported that the first phase took four weeks in 2025, while the second phase is expected to take less time because it covers a smaller area. Tubbs Hill draws hundreds of thousands of visitors annually, the newspaper reported, making timing and access a recurring issue during peak recreation season. (cdapress.com) ### Who is running the project? The Kootenai County FireSmart Program is partnering with the City of Coeur d’Alene on the work, the city said. The program provides wildfire education and financial assistance through grants from the Idaho Department of Lands in cooperation with the U.S. (cdaid.org) Forest Service, according to the city notice. Prism News reported last month that the broader Tubbs Hill mitigation effort is tied to a $240,000 grant-backed project developed with the Kootenai County Office of Emergency Management and the Idaho Department of Lands. (cdapress.com) ### Why did the city close trails instead of keeping them open? City officials said fuel-reduction work is intended to slow the spread of wildfire and protect public safety, homes and infrastructure, forest health and wildlife habitat. The work comes as Coeur d’Alene heads into hotter weather and heavier summer use of the hill. (cdaid.org) KXLY reported that material cut during the project will be burned in November, when conditions are safe. That means some of the visible work this week is only one part of a longer mitigation schedule. (prismnews.com) ### What happens after the cutting and clearing? O’Shea said the city plans to plant native conifer species on Tubbs Hill next spring after the fuel-reduction work is finished. He said the clearing will improve planting sites by reducing competition and supporting forest health. (cdaid.org) The city has already started replanting on the hill. Prism News reported in May that Coeur d’Alene planted 500 seedlings on Tubbs Hill as part of the same broader fire-risk reduction effort. (prismnews.com) (cdapress.com) (kxly920.com)