Firefighters investigating cause of 90-acre fire west of Idaho Falls
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The following is a news release from the city of Idaho Falls.
IDAHO FALLS — Firefighters battled an 90-acre wildfire burning north of U.S. Highway 20 west of 65th North in Bonneville County Monday afternoon.
The 911 calls came in around 2:50 p.m. from a passerby saying they could see a fire with a large amount of smoke north of Highway 20, west of Idaho Falls. The Idaho Falls Fire Department responded immediately to discover the fire burning in light grass on both public and private land.
As wind quickly pushed the fire and embers to the north, a separate spot fire away from the main blaze ignited. Additional resources from Bonneville County Fire District #1 Ammon Division and INL Fire Department were called to assist.
With the spot fire contained, firefighters worked to gain control of the fire using both hand tools and water to control the fire. Firefighters remained on scene for over two hours while they mopped up the remaining hotspots.
There were no injuries to firefighters or civilians.
The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.
“Despite cooler temperatures, we want to remind everyone that dry fuels can still burn quickly,” said IFFD Battalion Chief Chet Pugmire. “Always be aware of your surroundings and potential causes of a fire. Even the smallest spark can ignite a fire that quickly spreads with the wind.”