UPDATE 3:27 p.m.: U.S. Highway 20 has reopened after closing for much of the day. BLM fire managers are still working to contain several fires in the area.
ORIGINAL POST: A 56-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 20 is closed north of Mountain Home after lighting sparked several fires last night. The Bureau of Land Management reports the Milemarker 111 fire has burned about 12,000 acres, and is burning next to the highway. The road is closed from Mountain Home to 1st Street West in Fairfield, and it's not clear when the road will reopen.
Two other fires in the region are burning near the Anderson Ranch Reservoir. David Olson with the Boise National Forest reports the Dixie and Village fires have burned about 2,000 acres each. Overnight, they merged with several other fires, and have combined consumed about 25,000 acres -- and have destroyed 10 structures.
According to the press release from the Boise National Forest, "the incident commander for the two fires has reported the apparent loss of 10 structures, which involved outbuildings and possibly cabins. Further details are forthcoming regarding the types of structures."
The BLM and Boise National Forest managers are working together to suppress these fires.
