Social media quickly exploded Monday with reports of incendiary devices being left on public land in North Idaho. However, officials from the state fire marshals office denied that the claims were unsubstantiated.BigCountryNewsConnection.com has since deleted a post that stated that the Idaho Department of Lands received reports of gas canisters with combustible attachments found on forest land.According to Clarkston, Washington's news site, these devices can be used to light a fire if they are picked up.A Facebook post with the link to the article was shared many times Monday afternoon. This post was also deleted.This article quoted an internal memo from Department of Lands, which Sharla Arledge, spokesperson for the agency, stated was not intended to be published publicly. Jason Blubaum, a Coeur dAlene deputy fire marshal, was urged to contact anyone who finds a gas canister on land.Blubaum called the reports, also shared by Spokane Tribal Police in a social media post, fake news.He said that the claims were made by North Idaho News, which is a Facebook group that shares local news and crime. According to the page, it is not associated with any news company.On June 20, a North Idaho News post stated that there were numerous reports of people leaving full gas cans with ignition sources in them all over the north Panhandle, near Forest Service roads. A lit gas can was found tonight on Government Way, Hayden. It was shared almost 1,000 times.Blubaum stated that he had investigated one fire in the vicinity and determined it to be accidental ignition. Blubaum stated that the fire marshals office received many reports of gas canister sightings. However, he said that calling parties refused to provide any additional information or their own details when officials follow up.Blubaum stated that it is fake news at the moment. Blubaum said that there hasn't been one (canister) seen either by law enforcement officers or firefighters.Big Country News Connection reported that the claims were being investigated by the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms offices in the area. Blubaum claimed that this is false.
