Idaho wildfire continue to burn
A giant Central Idaho wildfire burning timber in mountainous terrain consumed another 26 square miles Wednesday, a day after torching 45 square miles.
The wildfire burning mainly in remote areas far from critical infrastructure is up to 246 square miles. Some low level evacuations are in place in the sparsely populated region.
Scott Graf of Boise State Public Radio reports for NPR’s Newscast Unit:
“The fire grew by 45-square-miles in one day early this week. It grew by another 25 yesterday, but not a single home has been lost to the fire — a testament to the rugged, remote area where it’s burned since mid-July.
“A cold front will bring some fall-like weather to the region this weekend, and fire managers say that should help slow the fire. But they say it will take fall rains and potentially even snow to extinguish the fire — something not likely to happen [in western Idaho] until October.”
Fire managers say the blaze fanned by strong winds is expanding to the north and northeast but is 58 percent contained with mop up operations taking place in southwest parts of the fire.
About 1,100 firefighters are fighting the blaze that officials say will take a rain or snow event to put out.
Full containment isn’t expected until mid-October.