(AP) — A half dozen air tankers as well as ground crews on Wednesday worked to contain a fast-spreading wildfire in central Idaho that has grown to 49 square miles in two days.  The lightning-caused Preacher Fire burning through grass and brush southwest of Carey is being fanned by erratic winds.  No structures have been reported lost, and officials estimate the blaze will be contained by late Thursday.  Meanwhile, a National Incident Management Team has been brought in for the Whiskey Complex of fires in the Boise National Forest. Residents of about 60 homes in the Garden Valley area remain under voluntary evacuation, as do residents of 10 homes in the Pioneerville area.  Seventeen miles east of Lowman, smokejumpers and a hot shot crew are working on the remote Blue Jay Fire.  Meanwhile,  a firetruck owned by the Richfield Fire Department was destroyed Wednesday when it got high-centered on an outcropping of rocks and was overtaken by the flames of a wildfire.   That incident happened just west of Richfield near highway 93.  Fire Chief Mike Swainston said the truck was worth around $300,000 and no firefighters were injured.  Meanwhile, ff you are head for the Boise area today or central Idaho, keep in mind the air quality in that area.  While the air quality in the Treasure Valley is in the yellow category, in Idaho City it's much worse and more dangerous.  The Department of Health and Welfare is calling the air quality in Boise County "unhealthy."  And officials are asking people to limit their outdoor activities.  With the way the populated areas of Boise County are situated, the smoke is settling in creating a lot of problems for people.  Officials warn people who have trouble breathing or uncontrollable coughing to see a doctor.

loading...

More From News Radio 1310 KLIX