Intersection in Idaho Falls closed due to gas leak

Motorists and pedestrians are asked to avoid the intersection of Broadway and I-15 today after a section of Broadway was closed down late yesterday afternoon due to a gas leak. Motorists are encouraged to plan alternate routes. The Idaho Falls Police Department has blocked off Broadway from S. Utah Avenue west to Saturn Avenue as crews continue to locate and stop the gas leak that was reported at approximately 5:05 p.m. on Jan. 16. While the southbound on-ramp at Broadway is closed, there are no closures to I-15 due to the gas leak. There have been no injuries associated with this incident. Air monitoring reveals that the gas levels have gone down this morning and crews believe they have isolated the issue.
KPVI-TV NBC 6

Fire destroys vacant Idaho Falls home

PHOTO: At approximately 6:36 a.m. on Jan. 17, the Idaho Falls Fire Department and Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the intersection of Broadway/Hwy 20 and N. 35th W for a report of a structure fire. Upon arrival, firefighters found a single story home that was fully involved in flames. The house was vacant. There were no other structures threatened. There were no injuries to civilians or firefighters. BCSO closed off the section of roadway in front of the home. Rocky Mountain Power and Intermountain Gas were also dispatched to the scene. For the safety of firefighters and due to strong winds, challenges with water supply, lack of hydrants and the fact that the house was fully involved, firefighters allowed the fire to burn itself out.
KPVI-TV NBC 6

Bingham County: Police release details of crashes near INL as 3,000 gallons of fuel spill on highway

On Wednesday, Jan. 15, at approximately 8:46 a.m., Idaho State Police investigated a multiple vehicle crash, on US-20 near milepost 272, east of INL in Bingham County. Brenda J. Deans, 64, of Ammon, was driving a 2018 Ford Explorer. Miles R. Muir, 34, of Idaho Falls, was driving a 2015 INL Motor Coach Bus. David B. Taylor, 62, of Ammon, was driving a Volvo Semi pulling a fuel tanker trailer. Joshua D. Steineckert, 29, of Salt Lake City, was driving a 2019 Nissan Xterra. Aaron H. Varnes, 39, of Idaho Falls, was driving a 2018 Toyota Tacoma pickup. Brett C. Stacey, 45, of Idaho Falls, was driving a 2017 Ford F150 pickup. All drivers were traveling westbound on US-20, entering a low visibility area with fog, wind and blowing snow. Deans stopped on the highway blocking the westbound lane. Muir then stopped behind her. Taylor was unable to stop and veered to the left striking the bus. The semi came to rest off the right shoulder. The bus then struck the Explorer sending both vehicles off the right shoulder. As a result of the crash, the tanker trailer was punctured and leaked approximately 3,000 gallons of fuel. A clean-up and Hazmat crew are on scene.
East Idaho News

More Idahoan firefighters travel Down Under to help fight wildfires

Another 70 U.S. firefighters are heading to Australia to help battle the wildfires that have been devastating the island country for months. Officials with the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) in Boise say three, 10-person incident management teams are leaving Thursday, and two, 20-person hand crews will be going in the days ahead. To date, the center has sent 166 people to Australia, officials said, adding that 20 recently returned after serving about a month-long rotation. Roughly a dozen of the firefighters who’ve served so far are from Idaho, including two BLM firefighters from Idaho Falls, Battalion Chief Kris Bruington and Engine Capt. Farron Kunkel, the Post Register recently said. Magicvalley.com reported Clay Stephens, a safety and training officer for the BLM Twin Falls District, also went.
Idaho State Journal

Related: Group of National Interagency Fire Center wildfire personnel return from Australia

VIDEO: Australia has seen some of the worst wildfires in decades. The first of a group of American wildland fire personnel sent by the National Interagency Fire Center is back. They were deployed in early December. John Noneman was part of that group. He says the first few days were a challenge. "A lot of fuel and a lot of homes built right inside of it, so it's quite a challenge," said Noneman. Jessica Gardetto, spokesperson for the National Interagency Fire Center, says the U.S. and Australia have had a long-standing relationship. "The countries experience very similar activity. Our fire seasons are opposite of each other usually, so that works out in that we can trade wildfire personnel, and we've had this agreement with them since 2000, so for about twenty years, we've been exchanging wildfire personnel," said Gardetto. Noneman says he went to fires near New South Wales and Sydney.
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