Officials report 100% containment of Telegraph Fire - East Idaho News
Idaho Falls

Officials report 100% containment of Telegraph Fire

  Published at

IDAHO FALLS — The Telegraph Fire is now fully contained as of Thursday night.

The Eastern Idaho Interagency Fire Center reported that crews are still monitoring hot spots, but aren’t expecting any further spread.

The Telegraph Fire ignited Wednesday afternoon along U.S. Highway 20 about 20 miles west of Idaho Falls on U.S. Bureau of Land Management land. It quickly expanded onto Idaho National Laboratory land and before it was contained it burned over 2,000 acres.

RELATED | Firefighters work to contain Telegraph Fire west of Idaho Falls

Containment of a fire does not mean the fire has been extinguished, it simply means firefighters have built a line around the entire fire to prevent it from spreading beyond the line.

“Controlled means the fire has not only been contained, but any hot spots threatening the line have been mopped up and interior heat is far enough away from the containment lines that it is not a threat to any further spread,” EIIFC said in a news release.

RELATED | Telegraph fire grows to over 1,500 acres

Officials say large fires can remain in a control status for weeks before considering the fire completely out.

Human causes ignited the Telegraph Fire and it remains under investigation, EIIFC spokeswoman Sarah Wheeler said.

Fire agencies report motorists are responsible for many wildfires that spark along the roads. They say nearly all the fires are prevented by following a few guidelines.

  • Secure Chains. Practice safe towing. Dragging chains throw sparks. Always use appropriate safety pins and hitch balls to secure chains.
  • No dragging parts. Make sure your vehicle is properly maintained, with nothing dragging on the ground.
  • Check tire pressure. Maintain proper tire pressure. Driving on exposed wheel rims will throw sparks.
  • Carry a fire extinguisher in your vehicle and learn how to use it. Don’t drive your vehicle onto dry grass or brush. Hot exhaust pipes and mufflers can start fires that you won’t see—until it’s too late.
  • Properly maintain brakes. Brakes worn too thin may cause metal-to-metal contact, which can cause a spark.

SUBMIT A CORRECTION