Fire North of Stanley Difficult for Firefighters

BOISE -- A wildfire burning in the central Idaho wilderness has grown to 3,700 acres. Fire
managers’ report the Halstead Fire is actively burning in subalpine fir and
lodgepole pine, about 18 miles northwest of Stanley. KTVB reports fire activity
has forced the closure of several campgrounds.
Large columns of smoke, and even flames, were visible to drivers
traveling along Highway 21 northwest of Stanley. Some campgrounds had to be
closed and campers turned away. Lightning sparked the Halstead Fire on Friday,
along with 10 other fires in the area.
It is located on the ridge between Beaver Creek and Marsh Creek in the
Salmon-Challis National Forest. An out of state, National Incident Management
Organization, known as NIMO, was transitioning to the Halstead Fire Tuesday.
The team is made up of specialized firefighters trained to fight rugged,
high-country fires. The fire is zero percent contained and the Forest Service
says firefighters are completing fuel breaks along Beaver Creek Road from Beaver
Creek Campground to Shake Creek. Officials do not believe this fire will be
extinguished soon or easily. Their goal is to minimize the effects of the
Stanley economy and keep it from spreading to high value assets in the area.