SOUTH BOISE, Idaho — A house fire in South Boise left one family without a home early Saturday morning.

Boise Fire responded just after 1:30 a.m. to the 2300 block of Three Mile Creek Way for a report of a structure fire. Crews arrived to find a heavily involved house fire extending to other structures, with power lines down and arcing. Boise Fire then upgraded the response to a second alarm.

Neighborhood Reporter Brady Caskey spoke with the family, who said everyone was okay, including their dogs. They told Idaho News 6 that they were camping outside Idaho City when the fire broke out on Saturday, June 13.

Neighbors described flames shooting out of the windows of the home, along with loud booms and crackles, until Boise Fire arrived.

One additional house sustained minor damage. A nearby shed and fence were also damaged.

Meridian Fire Department, Ada County Paramedics, Boise Police Department, Intermountain Gas, and Idaho Power also responded to the scene.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

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If a pathogen is found (such as blight in onions or potatoes), the center has to go through a variety of reporting layers to contain what could be an outbreak, as far as the Idaho State Department of Agriculture or the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Wood said.

Despite the integral role the the center has played in advancing the agricultural sector from its inception, its future wasn’t always certain. At the height of the Great Recession in 2009, Leslie Edgar, the endowed dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, said the center was at one point slated for closure.

Idaho Lt. Gov. Scott Bedke underscored that, given the return the center brings to Idaho’s agricultural industry, it should “never (be) on the chopping block again.” With investment in the center continuing today, Bedke said the center remains the envy of the state and the cutting edge research conducted in the area remains integral to the success of agriculture in Idaho both at home and abroad.

The return on investment for the state can be seen through the nematology program, which plays a key role in diagnosing parasites in the region that bring issues in potatoes, sugar beets, onion, mint and other crops. According to the university, for every dollar spent on the nematodes program in “development, transfer and maintenance,” it brings a return of $52.17 to the state’s agriculture industry.

As an example of the international ramifications the station’s work has for Idaho, Bedke recalled a trade mission he led in Asia last year. That trip included introductions to Idaho hops and a reinforcement of existing crop trades like white peaches, which are particularly popular in Taiwan, Bedke noted. While UI’s research contributions help push crops outward, its prominence also brings added attention to the state as a leader in the field.

“Everybody’s looking over the fence into Idaho, because we have very efficient farmers here, very efficient farming techniques, and they want to replicate that,” Bedke said. “Idaho stands for quality out there, and I think that all of that quality stuff starts in places like these extensions.”

Emphasis on the cutting edge in the field — including efficiency and broad improvements to crop yields — are of particular concern for producers as the margins within the industry have tightened for an extended period. During a December agricultural summit hosted by Gov. Brad Little, agriculture leaders noted farm expenses have exceeded the prices received for most crops grown over the last five years.

Given these conditions, “it’s even more important that we’re able to help producers understand what challenges may be facing their crop systems and how they can adjust to them,” Edgar said.

McCandless covers Idaho politics for the Lewiston Tribune, Moscow-Pullman Daily News, Idaho Press of Nampa and Coeur d’Alene Press. He may be contacted at rmccandless@idahopress.com.

MERIDIAN, Idaho — Residents living near a proposed north Meridian development say they are concerned about how the project could impact traffic, emergency response times, and neighborhood density.

The proposed Brighton Development project, known as Basque Ranch, would bring hundreds of residential units to roughly 266 acres within Meridian city limits north of the Spurwing subdivision. The site spans an area roughly equivalent to 200 football fields.

Several neighbors who live adjacent to the proposed development site told Idaho News 6 they are worried the project could worsen congestion on nearby roads, including Black Cat Road, Jayker Road and Tree Farm Way.

WATCH | Hear neighbors concerns over the new development—

Neighbors raise traffic, safety concerns over proposed Basque Ranch development in Meridian

Residents say traffic is already a challenge at times, particularly on Sundays when Rock Harbor Church on Chinden Boulevard holds multiple services.

“Long term, it will have a huge negative impact on everyone living in this city,” Jack Van Berkel said. His backyard overlooks the fields of the proposed site.

Victor Miller, who also lives near the proposed development, said he believes additional housing density will place further strain on area roads.

“And so now you’re going to add traffic from all this density onto Jayker and onto Tree Farm and just exacerbate what’s already a very difficult traffic problem,” Miller said.

Some neighbors also raised concerns about emergency access to the area.

“Fire, ambulance, trying to get in and out of this neighborhood would be almost impossible,” said Van Berkel.

Those concerns were echoed by Meridian Fire Department Deputy Chief of Prevention Steven Taulbee.

In an email to the city, during the pre-application period, Taulbee said he visited the site and determined the proposed access points do not currently meet fire code criteria for emergency access.

Nancy Everard, who lives on Black Cat Road, said she worries emergency responders could face delays if access issues are not addressed.

“So if there is a fire or a child that is injured, that is going to be most likely them coming here, realizing they can’t get in, and then going back. We shouldn’t be placing that extra burden on our first responders,” Everard said.

Brighton Development told Idaho News 6 it officially submitted its application for the project on Friday.

According to the developer, the proposal includes approximately 470 residential units within Meridian city limits, with additional development planned in neighboring Star.

Brighton is also proposing a 55-plus community similar to its existing Cadence developments, along with a public park and a potential event space.

In pre-application documents obtained from the City of Meridian, planning staff asked Brighton to explain how the proposal aligns with the area’s current low-density land-use designation.

“Large estate lots, you know, one home per acre, large lots, nothing high density. Everyone here feels absolutely blindsided,” said Leslie Landry, a resident concerned with the density of homes proposed.

Brighton says its proposal will comply with city requirements as the project moves through the review process.

The application will ultimately be reviewed by Meridian planning officials and go before council before any decisions are made.

Idaho News 6 will continue to follow this story.