One firefighter hurt, multiple structures destroyed during fires across east Idaho
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One firefighter was injured and multiple structures including a house were destroyed by fires that ignited across East Idaho Friday through Sunday.
The firefighter was injured while trying to extinguish a Saturday night blaze that destroyed a large shop building outside a residence at 957 North 16th East near Sugar City northeast of Rexburg. The Madison County firefighter suffered a minor knee injury and is expected to recover, authorities said.
Agricultural chemicals were stored in the shop building and these caused several explosions after the fire started.
Fire officials said the blaze nearly spread to the adjacent house. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The other Friday through Sunday fires did not result in any injuries to people but they were destructive.
Firefighters could not save a house on Rapid Creek Road in Inkom from a fire that ignited on Sunday night. Authorities said the house is a total loss.
The Bannock County Sheriff’s Office reports that the fire might have been caused by a kerosene lantern left on the residence’s back porch. The blaze remains under investigation.
Authorities said they do know exactly what caused the largest of the recent fires — a 50-acre blaze burning north of Menan Butte and west of Rexburg.
Gunfire from people out target shooting ignited the blaze on Sunday afternoon, according to the Bureau of Land Management. Firefighters contained the blaze late Sunday night after receiving air support from several tanker planes. The fire is not yet fully extinguished but it has not caused any evacuations or damage to structures.
Fire officials said the public should be careful when shooting outdoors and it’s best to not shoot at all when conditions are dry, windy and hot.
Two brush fires occurred along Highway 26 in Bonneville County and both started with outdoor burning.
One of the fires ignited late Saturday afternoon near the intersection of Highways 26 and 31 in Swan Valley and destroyed a shed before firefighters extinguished the flames. The one-acre blaze apparently began when a fire in a burn barrel spread to surrounding brush.
Firefighters were able to save other nearby structures from the flames.
The other Highway 26 brush fire occurred on Friday afternoon in the area of West Birch Creek Road. That fire scorched about 20 acres before firefighters contained the flames. The only structure damaged by the fire was an abandoned potato cellar.
Authorities said it appears the fire started when a resident attempted to burn garbage. The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office reports the resident is facing charges for causing the fire because there is a burn ban in effect in the county.
The Sheriff’s Office stated, “Conditions in the area are very dry with significant winds and even small sparks can rapidly cause a fire and spread quickly. We urge everyone to take precautions with dragging trailer chains, lit cigarette butts, campfires and propane (grills) to prevent unnecessary fires and property damage.”
Conditions are so dry locally that even something as mundane as a tire blowout can cause a wildfire — as evidenced by what happened on Interstate 15 near Century High School in south Pocatello late Saturday night.
A brush fire started when a tire on a cargo trailer suffered a blowout on Interstate 15 northbound.
The flames immediately spread from the interstate’s northbound shoulder to the median, causing state police to shut down both of Interstate 15’s northbound lanes.
The Pocatello and Pocatello Valley fire departments responded and soon had the fire contained.
The interstate’s northbound lanes were not completely reopened until early Sunday morning after firefighters had the brush fire extinguished.
Firefighters estimated that the blaze scorched less than an acre and there were no evacuations or damage to structures as a result of the fire.
This story originally appeared in the Idaho State Journal. It is posted here with permission.