Crews extinguish lightning-sparked blaze near Bear Lake as record heat grips eastern Idaho
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FISH HAVEN – The half-acre Alpine Slough Fire is now fully controlled, as of 4 p.m. Sunday.
That’s the latest update from fire officials in Caribou-Targhee National Forest where the fire is burning. Multiple trees caught fire Friday afternoon near the Idaho-Utah state line by Wilderness Peak about 10 miles west of Fish Haven. A lightning strike was the cause.
RELATED | Crews gain upper hand on lightning-caused fire near Idaho-Utah border
Firefighters describe it as a “moderate” fire. They had it fully contained Saturday at 2:45 p.m.
The blaze poses no threat to buildings or homes.
Fire officials with the U.S. Forest Service were battling the blaze Sunday afternoon with one fire engine and one wildland fire module.
“Crews gridded the black and the surrounding green to ensure no containment issues. All resources will be returning to stations this evening,” fire officials say in a Sunday afternoon news release.
The Alpine Slough Fire is one of nearly 10 active wildfires burning across eastern Idaho Sunday evening. The complete outlook is available through the Eastern Idaho Interagency Fire Center
Fire danger remains very high on Sunday amid scorching heat throughout eastern Idaho. Daytime highs in some areas surpassed 100-degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Weather Service in Pocatello. The Idaho Falls Regional Airport reached a record high of 103 degrees.
“The previous record for the airport was 102 degrees, set on June 25, 1988. Records at Fanning Field (the airport) go back to mid-summer of 1948,” the NWS posted on Facebook.
Similarly, Madison County Airport in Rexburg — which has been keeping records since 1998 — recorded its hottest ever temperature at 101 degrees.
Its previous record was 99, reached on July 23, 2023.
A volunteer weather observer in Rigby reported an all-time high of 103.
“The Pocatello Regional Airport tied the record for the hottest temperature on July 12th — 102 degrees — last reached in 2002,” the NWS reports.
The heat wave is expected to continue into Monday. Meteorologists say the extreme heat warning remains in effect.
Firefighters are reminding people to make responsible decisions outdoors. Practice good fire safety and don’t do anything illegal that could start a fire.
RELATED | Fremont County under burn ban as triple-digit heat looms
Burns bans are in effect for multiple counties, including Jefferson, Bonneville and Fremont.
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