Fire Northwest of Murphy Hot Springs
UPDATE, 11 a.m. July 26: The Bureau of Land Management says the Bruneau Fire is now estimated at 57,000 acres.
The blaze, which was caused by lightning on Tuesday evening and is currently between the Bruneau and Jarbidge River canyons, is smoldering in grass and brush but structures are threatened.
"Fire behavior has calmed significantly, mostly smoldering, creeping and backing," BLM spokeswoman Kelsey Brizendine said in a prepared statement on Thursday morning. "Most of the fire activity remains in the canyon bottoms; heavy helicopters capable of dropping up to 2,600 gallons of water a time are focusing on these areas."
There is still not an estimated time on containment or control.
UPDATE, 2:45 p.m.: The Bruneau Fire, about 12 miles northwest of Murphy Hot Springs, has grown to about 55,000 acres, according to a BLM spokeswoman.
"The fire is very active," Kelsey Brizendine told News Radio 1310 a little after 2:30 p.m. today.
Though the lightning-caused fire is making things difficult, crews are tackling the blaze in several ways. Besides two dozers, two water tenders and 13 engines, there's also multiple aircraft on scene.
She sad there is not yet an estimate for containment or control.
"There is some wind and a lot of continuous fuel out there," she said. "There's a lot of grass and brush, it's very dry, and it is hot. All of that make the right conditions for fires to grow."
Original story
TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KLIX) A fire sparked by lightning has burned an estimated 40,000 acres in southern Idaho. According to the Bureau of Land Management Spokesperson Kelsey Brizendine, the Bruneau Fire is about 12 miles northwest of Murphy Hot Springs burning in the desert. Brizendine says it was really active on all fronts last night and is moving to the northwest. A Red Flag Warning had been issued for southwest Idaho on Tuesday after thunderstorms were forecast for the area along with high winds. Six engines along with multiple aircraft are working to control the blaze.