The popular Sawtooth Mountain getaway, Redfish Lake Lodge, is expected to reopen Thursday after it was evacuated this week because of a nearby wildfire.
Lake Lodge is usually fully booked through July and August. They had a full house this week when the 210 Road Fire forced evacuations.
Four hotshot crews and four hand crews are working to control the fire. Helicopters and air tankers have been dropping water and retardant on the blaze. The fire started Monday near the entrance to the lodge, and has burned about 270 acres.
Jeff Clegg is the general manager at Redfish Lake Lodge. He says he’s seen a lot of wildfire activity in the area, including last year’s large Halstead Fire. But Clegg says this is the closest a fire has ever been to the lodge, and the first time in his 15 years that he’s had to evacuate his guests.
“The Forest Service promised me many years ago that if a fire ever broke near Redfish Lake that they would unleash every resource they had, and I’m telling you – they lived up to their promise and we’re truly grateful.”
He says they can see the fire from the lodge, but it’s not particularly smoky. Clegg was impressed by the air attack the forest service used beginning on Monday.
“It was unbelievable to see the air tankers, the C130’s, the spotting planes and the helicopters pulling from the lake.”
Clegg says he and about 45 of his staff are still at the lodge. They were given special permission to stay because many of the seasonal workers don’t have anywhere else to go. Clegg says he’s hopeful the lodge will reopen tomorrow.
Tonight, there's a public meeting to give updates about the fire at the Stanley Community Center at 7:00 p.m.