Southern Idaho Fire Update: Mammoth and Shoestring Fire
TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KLIX) Since Friday firefighters have been busy battling a blaze that has already reduced a home to ashes and burned thousands of acres. Bureau of Land Management officials issued an update Sunday evening for the Mammoth Fire that has burned an estimated 47,052 acres of desert brush and one house and two other buildings seven miles north of Shoshone, just east of Highway 75. BLM officials say there are 22 engines, two attack hand crews, a hot shot crew, one camp crew, 12 aircraft, three dozers, and three water tenders. From BLM:
Crews were able to hold the fire on Picabo Desert Road today. Light winds and higher relative humidity gave fire fighters the upper hand. Crews continue to burn out along the north east flank of the breakout, cleaning up the last of the open line. Night shift crews will continue to conduct burn operations as needed, and patrol the line.
BLM has not determined the cause of the Mammoth Fire yet and a containment date is not known. During the weekend the Blaine County Sheriff's Office issued a precautionary warning to people living in the Wood River Valley for the potential of a power loss as the fire threatened the power supply.
Meanwhile, the Shoestring Fire was reported Saturday afternoon six miles north of Wendell. At this time firefighters have been able to get the upper hand and estimate to have containment by this evening and control by Wednesday. The fire has burned nearly 36,000 acres of desert grass and brush. No structures have been threatened, according to BLM. Five engines, five aircraft, two dozers, and three helicopters are working this blaze.