Crews Bolster Fire Lines to Contain Central Idaho Wildfire

LOWMAN, Idaho (AP) — Fire officials say work to shore up fire lines and complete burnout operations continued Tuesday on a 120-square-mile wildfire burning in central Idaho.

However, some residents were told to leave at a moment's notice near Lowman, an area with about 125 residents, due to the heavy smoke and erratic wildfire behavior caused by suppression efforts.

The Banks-Lowman Road remains closed west of Lowman but State Highway 21 is open. About 1,800 firefighters are battling the blaze that is 50 percent contained but that grew 5 square miles in the last day.

The fire is mostly burning to the north and to the west. Officials say there's a chance of thunderstorms over the next several days along with unseasonably warm temperature and low humidity during the day. But a cooling trend is expected Thursday and Friday.