Since Tuesday, residents of the small towns of Featherville and Pine gather together each evening to talk about the Trinity Ridge Fire, burning near their homes. At these meetings, fire officials provide status updates on the 72-thousand acre blaze.
These meetings help prepare residents for potential evacuations. They talk about what’s important to pack, as well as how to use defensible land around their homes. Officials recommend raking up pine needles and removing wood piles.
Trinity Ridge is just a few miles from Featherville. Charity Parks with the Boise National Forest says residents feel the stress of fire burning so close to their homes. But she says overall, fire officials and homeowners stay optimistic. "The mood in the room is hopeful. Hopeful that the fire fighters will be able to prevent the fire from having a large impact on their homes and for the firefighters’ safety. They are also concerned for the firefighters’ safety and they want them to be safe while fighting the fire around the area and their homes."
If the fire shifts and homeowners have to evacuate, they'll gather at the Pine senior center. Over 370 buildings and homes are threatened by the fire.
The blaze continues to grow, it's only five percent contained. One thousand firefighters are now working on the fire.
Copyright 2012 Boise State Public Radio