Aerial attacks are continuing Friday morning on two new fires burning along the Idaho-Oregon border, near Brownlee Reservoir on the Snake River.
The Hells Canyon 1 Fire and the Raft Fire started with lighting strikes Thursday afternoon. As of Friday morning, they’d burned 4,500 acres. They’ll burn together and form the Wesier Complex and be managed by a Type Two Incident Command team.
A spokesman for the Boise National Forest, which is overseeing the fire fight, says a few structures in the area are threatened, including the Mountain Man Lodge, the historic Mineral Mine site and an Idaho Power administrative facility.
The fire is not yet contained. Ten air tankers attacked the fire Thursday night and officials say they’re expected back Friday. They’re flying out of Boise, McCall and Oregon.
Meanwhile, those managing the Beaver Creek Fire burning in Idaho's Wood River Valley, are still aiming for full containment by Saturday morning. That fire is currently 95 percent contained.
Firefighters working the Little Queens Fire say they’ve successfully prevented the fire from being able to burn to the community of Atlanta. The fire can grow on its east and northeast sides. But soon, fire managers say, it will run into area burned by previous fires. As a result, the fire will be allowed to burn “and action will only be taken when necessary and safe to do so.”
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