Firefighters battling 3,600-acre blaze near Leadore

LEADORE — Firefighters are working to contain the 3,600-acre Hayden Fire in the Salmon-Challis National Forest.

The blaze started on Wednesday morning and is burning about 18 miles west of Leadore “in spruce and subalpine fir,” officials say, with a lot of dead and fallen trees to fuel it. The cause hasn’t been determined yet.

In a Saturday morning update, firefighters say terrain in the area is difficult.

Weather is also a factor in the firefighting efforts. Hot temperatures are anticipated through the weekend, which could hinder firefighters’ progress. Additionally, the forecast calls for winds to increase Saturday evening with gusts up to 25 mph in the mountains.

“Expect to see isolated and group tree torching in the afternoon,” according to fire officials.

Poor visibility hampered attempts to extinguish the blaze from the air on Friday “but ground crews were able to identify areas for dozer and handline north of the fire.”

Firefighters are using bulldozers to create a barrier on the eastern side to stop the fire from spreading.

“They will also begin to implement the plan for dozer and handline along the north,” according to the latest update.

On the south side, crews are preparing for a possible air attack near the Morse Creek Campground and other areas at risk “as weather permits.”

In effort to keep people safe, certain areas of Salmon-Challis National Forest are closed. More details are available on its website.

The Hayden Fire is one of 25 uncontained fires nationwide, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Fire crews are containing 12 of them instead of putting them out.