Nearly a dozen residents speak out against Boise budget, inadequate fire coverage

The proposed budget for fiscal year 2020 drew criticism from nearly a dozen residents Tuesday night across a variety of topics, including services on the city’s fringes, public safety and spending priorities in general. One after the other residents stood before council and expressed frustration with planned parks still without amenities, worries about fire station coverage in portions of the city and concerns that the city is overtaxing its residents during a housing crisis. Some pointed to growing fears in Northwest Boise that there is inadequate fire coverage. City officials are working on plans to build a fire station on Gary Lane and solidify a mutual aid agreement with the City of Eagle, but residents fear a station in this area will leave a coverage gap. City officials say the plans for the area will be enough to keep residents safe, but the topic continues to be a one of discussion brought up time and time again in front of city officials.
KBOI-TV CBS 2 Boise

Forest Service reports 137 acres burning in Lowman Ranger District near Stanley

The National Forest Service announced Tuesday afternoon that multiple fires are burning in the Boise National Forest. Fire crews are responding to several fires within the Cascade and Lowman districts, according to a news release. One of the fires, the Canyon Fire, was roughly 137 acres Tuesday, and is located southeast of the Bull Trout Campground and 14 miles west of Stanley. According to the news release, the steep terrain is making the fire difficult for firefighters to access the area. There are 113 firefighters on scene that include ground crews, helicopters and engines, as well as other resources, according to the news release. Firefighters are also responding to smoke near Warm Lake in the Cascade Ranger district, though those fires are reported to be less than an acre in size. As of Tuesday there is no threat to life or property, according to the news release.
Nampa Idaho Press-Tribune - Metered Site

Twin Falls Fire Department responds to house fire

The Twin Falls Fire Department responded to a house fire Tuesday morning on Lenore Street. Fire Chief Les Kenworthy said that the initial call was for smoke coming out of a residence. "We arrived on scene, and we didn't see anything from the exterior but once we got inside, the house was charged with smoke," Kenworthy said. The fire started in the basement underneath a one-story house. "We charged a line just like protocols that we have for something like this," he said. "Our people went inside and tried to determine where the fire was occurring." No one was hurt. Kenworthy said there was a dog in the backyard, but he was fine, too. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
KMVT-TV 11 Twin Falls

Firefighters battle two Pocatello area brush fires

Firefighters extinguished two brush fires in the Pocatello area on Tuesday before either blaze could damage any structures or cause any injuries. One of the brush fires occurred in the mountains south of Pocatello while the other ignited on the Gate City's east side. The first and larger of the blazes was reported around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday in the area of East Fork Mink Creek Road and Lead Draw south of Pocatello. Pocatello Valley and Bureau of Land Management firefighters responded to the fire and had it extinguished by 9 p.m. Tuesday. The fire scorched at least 10 acres of mountainous terrain and its cause remains under investigation. The second fire ignited around 7 p.m. Tuesday during a thunderstorm and was caused by lightning striking a tree in the area of the disc golf course off of East Terry Street on Pocatello's east side.
Idaho State Journal

Fire marshal encourages residents to check their smoke detectors after fatal Boise fire

Just last week, three people in Boise died during a fire in a house that didn’t have smoke detectors. Tuesday morning, the Twin Falls Fire Department responded to a fire on Lenore Street, and the fire chief said he didn’t hear the detectors when they arrived on scene. “Just listening, I didn’t hear a lot of smoke detectors going off, it’s a good reminder," Chief Les Kenworthy said. "Check your smoke detectors. Always make sure those are working." Fire Marshal Tim Lauda says there are a few easy things that homeowners should do to make sure their smoke detectors are working. “Once a month, push the button on the smoke detector, it should make a beep. If it’s beeping, you’re OK," Lauda said.
KMVT-TV 11 Twin Falls

11 new fires in the Salmon-Challis National Forest

Lightning ignited 11 new fires in the Salmon-Challis National Forest between July 8 and 15. Some have been called out, others are holding steady and others have grown quickly, forest officials report. The Ulysses Fire is about 1.5 miles south of Ulysses Mountain and 5.5 miles northwest of North Fork. It covers 2 acres and ins burning in grass and timber where many dead and downed trees are found. Six firefighters are staffing the fire, assisted by water drops two helicopters. it was reported July 15. The Dry Fire was reported the afternoon of July 14. It’s 2.5 miles south of the confluence of the Main Salmon and Panther Creek, about 21 miles southwest of North Fork, about 2 miles inside the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. So far, 20 firefighters have been sent to the 15-acre fire that is burning in grass and dead and downed trees. The Stoddard fire, also reported July 14, is burning about a tenth of an acre about 2 miles west of the historic Stoddard Lookout in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. It is being monitored, but allowed to play out.
Teton Valley News

Small controlled burn gets out of hand near residential area in Twin Falls, fire crews extinguish flames

VIDEO: Tenants in the Milagro residential area are relieve and safe now , after fire crews were able to extinguished a blaze. A battalion fire chief with the Twin Falls Fire Department says they were dispatched near Orchard street around 1:00 pm this afternoon. A controlled burn got out of hand and was threatening some nearby homes. Fire crews were able to make quick progress on the fire and contained it. Fire officials say this serves a reminder about controlled burns, and that is to pay close attention when conducting these types of burns. "When it's hot and windy like this, the fuel dries out and it makes situations, like this to make happen more often but it's basically they need to have the fire small and contained," says Mitchell Brooks Twin Falls Fire department Fire Chief. Crews were at the fire for an hour and no other fire agencies responded.
KMVT-TV 11 Twin Falls

Crews contain wildfire in Payette County

Crews have contained a wildfire that burned about 2,000 acres in Payette County Sunday. The blaze — once estimated to be about 5,000 acres — was much smaller than that, said Lt. Andy Creech of the Payette County Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff’s office received a call about the fire, which was in the area of Little Willow Road and Dry Creek Road, about 11:45 a.m. Sunday. Crews from the Payette Rural Fire Department, the Parma Fire Department, the Middleton Fire Department and the Sand Hollow Fire Department, as well as the Bureau of Land Management, worked through the night to contain the fire. As of Monday morning, Creech said, it was 100% contained. While firefighters don’t know the exact cause of the fire, Creech said they believe lightning may have sparked it. Because of that, they’re watching the next storm rolling through the area.
Nampa Idaho Press-Tribune