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Fires closing roads in south Idaho |
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July 19, 2017 |
Fire season is officially here, and according to
the Idaho Transportation Department, it's
closing several roads in southern Idaho.
The season started June 5 when a human-caused
fire closed Interstate 84 near Glenns Ferry. As
soon as winter snows melted and spring floods
subsided, summer dryness hit the lowlands.
The past two weeks has seen a series of small
brush fires grow out of control and close
several routes throughout southern Idaho – I-84
near the Utah border for several hours, U.S. 26
on two occasions between Bliss and Shoshone,
Idaho Highway 75 north of Shoshone, as well as
U.S. 93 and Idaho Highway 24 near Shoshone.
The latest, the Antelope Fire, started last
Sunday around 6:30 p.m. It originally started
off U.S. 26, between Shoshone and Gooding,
following a lightning strike in the sagebrush
desert of western Lincoln County.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) resources
struggled to gain control through the night, due
to high winds and high temperatures. The fire
jumped U.S. 26 several times.
Around 10 a.m. Monday, the south side of the
fire kicked up and made a push on Shoshone.
“The winds were burning at approximately 25 mph,
with even higher gusts,” said BLM Fire
Information Officer Kelsey Brizendine. “This
caused the fire to make a push at 93, which,
thanks to our great partners at ITD, was closed
down. This closure remained in effect for
several hours, giving firefighters the space
they needed, as well as keeping the public
safe.”
The Antelope Fire closed U.S. 93 just before
noon, pushed across the highway, closed Idaho 24
at about 1 p.m. and threatened buildings near
Shoshone. The fire was all but out on Tuesday
morning, but ended up at burning about 29,493
acres.
“This is going to be a busy year,” Brizendine
added. “The fuel is thick, dry and the wind
makes things hard.”
Many areas of Idaho are already under high fire
danger due to fuel loads and dry conditions.
Many of the initial fires that have affected
southern Idaho highways have been human caused —
only the Antelope Fire was from lightning,
giving extra importance to the impact residents
and road users have on the travel and public
safety.
The BLM reminds the public that whether you are
recreating or traveling on the highways or back
roads, keep fire prevention in mind and follow
these fire prevention tips:
On the road:
* Keep tires properly inflated.
* Grease your wheel bearings.
* Tie up trailer safety chains.
* Do not drive or park in tall, dry grass.
At the campground:
* Have a shovel, bucket, and water nearby.
* Make sure your campfire is completely out. If it’s too hot to touch,
it’s too hot to leave.
Target Shooting:
* Check weather conditions. Hot + Dry + Wind = Quick-Spreading Wildfires
* Choose a shooting area that is clear of dry grass/vegetation and rocks.
* Always bring water, a fire extinguisher and a shovel.
* Discharging a firearm using incendiary, steel core or tracer ammunition
is prohibited on BLM lands from May to October
20.
* Burning, igniting or causing to burn explosive material, including
exploding targets is prohibited on BLM lands
from May to October 20. |
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