More crews sent in to battle Idaho wildfire

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

More crews sent in to battle Idaho wildfire

A helicopter makes a drop on a dozer line around a home to protect it from the Beaver Creek Fire on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2013 in outside of Ketchum, Idaho.
/ Ashley Smith,AP Photo/Times-News
Updated 9:16 PM ET
BOISE, Idaho Fire managers expressed optimism Sunday in their battle against a wildfire that has scorched nearly 160 square miles and forced the evacuation of 2,300 homes near the central Idaho resort communities of Ketchum and Sun Valley.
Officials said the blaze had grown by only about 12 square miles because of cloud cover the day before and the arrival of additional crews and equipment. Many firefighters worked Sunday to create protective firebreaks, or gaps in vegetation.
"Today they're very optimistic that we will reinforce those lines in case the fire does flare up as we saw on Thursday and Friday," fire spokeswoman Shawna Hartman said.
More than 1,200 people and 19 aircraft were battling the lightning-caused Beaver Creek Fire, which started Aug. 7 and was 9 percent contained. Nearly 90 fire engines also were in the region, many protecting homes in the affluent area where celebrities like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tom Hanks and Bruce Willis own pricey getaways.
Hartman said Sunday retardant was being dropped on the flank of Bald Mountain — the Sun Valley Resort's primary ski hill — to reinforce a fire line. That meant the famed ski mountain known as "Baldy" and often used in publicity photos would have a red line of retardant visible from Ketchum.
Hartman said the drop was part of a plan by fire managers to bolster protection for the tony resort town, but he noted the fire had not yet spread to the mountain.
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LEAVE NOW: 'Angry' Idaho Fire Spreads To 126,000 Acres, Threatens Luxury Homes

Posted: Aug 19, 2013 9:34 AM CST Updated: Aug 19, 2013 11:53 AM CST

BOISE, Idaho (AP) - Some evacuated residents in the central Idaho resort area of Ketchum and Sun Valley are being allowed to return home Monday.
Blaine County spokeswoman Bronwyn Nickel says residents of about 100 homes have been allowed to return but about 2,000 homes remain under mandatory evacuation orders due to the 160-square-mile Beaver Creek Fire. The blaze is 8 percent contained.
At the same time, another wildfire looming over the tiny town of Atlanta about 50 miles to the west has led to evacuation orders.
Atlanta residents have been told to leave by noon Monday because of the 3-square-mile Little Queens Fire burning about 6 miles to the northwest through grass and timber.
Fire managers say a shortage of resources due to other large wildfires in the region is hampering firefighting efforts.

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Some Idaho residents being let back in on pre-evacuation orders

by KTVB / AP / CBS News

khou.com

Posted on August 19, 2013 at 9:30 AM

Updated today at 4:59 PM

BOISE, Idaho—A playground for some and home to many, the Wood River Valley is on edge as a massive fire burns dangerously close to homes, stretching fire crews and keeping officials hopping.

Credit: Courtesy KTVB FirstPerson user pse1313577628839

Flames showing in the KTVB live feed from the Beaver Creek Fire around 6 p.m.

Red Flag conditions, including higher temperatures and wind gusts up to 38 miles per hour, increased fire activity on the Beaver Creek Fire Sunday afternoon and evening. And crews expect similar conditions on Monday.

The fire has burned 158 square miles, and has forced 2,250 homes into a mandatory evacuation order.
Another 7700 homes are under what is known as pre-evacuation, giving them time to pack up essential belongings and get ready to go at a moment’s notice if the fire grows closer. A total of nearly 10,000 homes are impacted by the massive fire that a public information officer termed “a beast.”