© 2024 Boise State Public Radio
NPR in Idaho
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
From air quality concerns to evacuations, wildfires impact pretty much everyone. We've rounded up some resources to make sure you're prepared as we head into Idaho's wildfire season.

Blaine County's Preacher Fire Nears Containment

Bureau of Land Management

This story was updated at 10:00 a.m. July 18, 2014

The Preacher Fire, burning in Blaine County, is now 60 percent contained and fire managers expect full containment Friday night. 

The lightning-caused fire sparked July 14 and has since grown to nearly 34,000 acres.

The fire is burning in grass and brush. A red flag warning expected Friday means winds could pick up and humidity can drop, making a fire more likely to flare up.

This story was updated at 6:10 p.m. July 16, 2014

The Bureau of Land Management says lower temperatures and light winds helped fire crews stop the growth of south-central Idaho's Preacher Fire.

Brian O'Donnell, incident commander, says the fire is now 40 percent contained and is estimated at 33,000 acres.

Fire managers say the Preacher Fire should be fully contained by Thursday evening.

Credit Blaine County Sheriff's Facebook Page
The Preacher Fire jumped Highway 26/93 near milepost 192 on Tuesday night.

This story was updated at 9:50 a.m. July 16, 2014

Fire managers still expect the growing Preacher Fire to be contained by Thursday night, that's after the south-central Idaho wildfire made a significant run Tuesday. The lightning-caused fire southwest of Carey is now 31,000 acres.

More than 100 people are fighting the grass and brush fire. "Strong, shifting winds and high temperatures have challenged firefighter’s suppression efforts," the Bureau of Land Management reports.

The Blaine County Sheriff's department says the blaze jumped Highway 26/93 Tuesday night, temporarily shutting down sections of the road.

This story was updated at 8:10 a.m. July 15, 2014.

The Preacher Fire, burning in south-central Idaho, grew to 7,000 acres overnight. High winds and thunderstorms predicted for the area Tuesday could make fighting the fire challenging.

The fire is burning in mostly grass and brush 10 miles northeast of Richfield, Idaho. Almost 60 people are fighting the fire, and more air resources have been ordered.

The Bureau of Land Management says the Preacher Fire was started by lightning.

Credit Blaine County Sheriff's Facebook Page
/
Facebook
The Blaine County Sheriff's office posted this photo of the Preacher Fire on Facebook. It's now estimated at 3,500 acres.

This story was originally posted at 10:10 p.m. July 14, 2014.

The Bureau of Land Management reports a south-central Idaho wildfire that started late Monday afternoon has grown to 3,500 acres. The Preacher Fire, burning six miles southwest of Carey, is growing quickly thanks to strong winds and extreme fire behavior.

The BLM says four single engine air tankers and a helicopter are helping ground crews fight the fire.

The Blaine County Sheriff closed some highways on Monday. The sheriff's department is updating its Facebook page with the latest public safety and road information.

The BLM says the Preacher Fire isn't threatening homes at this time.

The cause of the fire is unknown.

Copyright 2014 Boise State Public Radio

You make stories like this possible.

The biggest portion of Boise State Public Radio's funding comes from readers like you who value fact-based journalism and trustworthy information.

Your donation today helps make our local reporting free for our entire community.