Lightning strikes cause over 25 fires in Idaho

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) —

Fire officials are on alert following an outbreak of wildfires across our area and our state. According to the Bureau of Land Management — lightning sparked more than 25 wildfires across Idaho.

KMVT received video from the “101 fire” that broke out yesterday a few miles southeast of King Hill. Fortunately, crews have contained it.

The BLM says that the fires burned more than two-thousand acres before they could get it under control. Five of those fires that started were in the Twin Falls area.

Meanwhile another fire — the “Basin Fire,” east of Glenns Ferry — has burned about seven-thousand acres.

Dry conditions across our area have turned things into a tinderbox. Multiple wildfires over the past few weeks are taking a toll on fire crews working to not only contain the flames, but also prevent future fires from starting.

“On the recent fires in the area, Mountain Home included, we were able to take retardant from the tanker base in Twin Falls and also Mountain Home and assist in preventing the spread of those fires in those locations. Particularly in the steep terranean, where the ground vehicles were unable to access the flame fronts,” said BLM pilot, Perry Schermerhorn.

Again — the fires that sparked in the Twin Falls area are thankfully all contained. Pilot Perry Schermerhorn says that other crews are headed over to Utah today to help battle wildfires there.

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