Wildfire season was in full swing in the Treasure Valley on Saturday when fire crews responded to three blazes in a single day. Officials said humans were responsible for all of them.
The Homer Fire began at about 4:30 p.m. Saturday in the Eagle Foothills, about 1.5 miles north of Beacon Light Road and half a mile west of Linder Road, according to a social media post from the Boise District Bureau of Land Management.
The agency said the fire spread to 366 acres before crews successfully contained it by creating
a line around its perimeter to stop the spread at 1:30 a.m. Sunday, and extinguished it by 2:30 p.m.
The Star Fire Department had issued an alert to nearby residents at 5:06 p.m. before canceling it at 8:05 p.m. Saturday.
“We are responding to a brush fire in the area of West Homer Road and North Linder Road,” the alert stated. “Calmly evacuate the area from the intersection of Homer and Linder if you live North of Homer to the East at North Skyline Drive and follow instructions from police and fire officials.”
A photo of a the Homer Fire was taken near Bogus Basin.
Officials began sounding the alarm about a second fire, dubbed the Tencole Fire, at about 5 p.m. Saturday.
The Tencole Fire, east of Kuna near South Cole Road and Tenmile Creek, grew to 280 acres, according to the Bureau of Land Management. Firefighters contained it by 6 p.m. and extinguished it by 8 p.m., the agency said.
The Homer and Tencole fires were caused by humans, but exactly what happened is still under investigation, BLM spokesperson Chad Cline told the Idaho Statesman.
Fire crews also responded to a brush fire at 10:15 p.m. near Discovery Park in Lucky Peak State Park along Idaho Highway 21, the agency said. They were able to quickly contain it within the hour.
Cline said the Discovery Park fire was caused by exhaust particles from a vehicle. He advised people traveling to make sure to inspect their trailer bearings, ensure all tires have proper tread and check that chains are wrapped up.
Dry winters could mean ideal conditions for fires
The lack of snow in the Treasure Valley has meant that grass isn’t dying off in the winter and remains drier than usual, creating extra fuel for fires, according to Cline.
“We still have grass crops from the last two years, because we haven’t got quite the snow pack down in the Valley, so there’s a lot of carry-over grasses,” Cline said by phone. “They’re seeing drier fuel moisture than they have in the past, so it just allows the fire to carry quickly. Everything can catch fire pretty easy now, because it is so thick.”
Fire experts have warned that a variety of factors could mean an intense fire season is in store for the Gem State. Gov. Brad Little expressed concern that state lawmakers did not approve enough money to fight Idaho fires this year, despite signing off on the funding bill.
“Simply put, if we have a bad fire year, the amount the Legislature appropriated for fire suppression will not be enough to cover the bills for the fires the state is responsible for,” he wrote in his transmittal letter, as he signed the bill that allocated the funding.
The week of the Fourth of July has historically been a time when fires are more prevalent, often sparked by people lighting off illegal fireworks. In light of wildfire concerns, the Ada County Board of Commissioners voted June 17 to ban fireworks in parts of the county.
“Fireworks could cause massive wildfires close to residential areas if they’re shooting them and they go in dry, tall grass,” Cline said. “So that stuff can pose a problem for firefighters. If we can eliminate that factor, then it would keep our firefighters and our public land safe.”
