Firefighters are being credited with saving several houses from certain destruction after a large wildfire ignited near Blackfoot on Saturday afternoon. The fire was caused by sparks from a malfunctioning pickup truck that was traveling on Highway 26 about five miles northwest of Blackfoot, authorities said. The blaze was reported around 2 p.m. Saturday at Highway 26 near 800 West and the flames quickly spread to both sides of Highway 26, causing the Bingham County Sheriff's Office to shut down the highway for two hours. Firefighters from the Blackfoot, Fort Hall and Firth fire departments responded and were immediately confronted by a raging wildfire that was threatening several nearby houses. The firefighters got to work on defending the homes and successfully kept the flames away.