Hayden Fire near Leadore grows to 24,000 acres
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LEADORE – Firefighters battling the Hayden Fire near Leadore are hoping for some rain.
A total of 678 people with the Great Basin Incident Management team are working to build a line along the western perimeter of the blaze, which has now burned 24,489 acres of fir trees on steep and rugged terrain inside Salmon-Challis National Forest.
It’s not clear how much of the fire is contained, but a news release from fire officials Friday morning indicates the line to confine the blaze is 66% complete.
“Existing containment lines on other portions of the fire are being patrolled to ensure any concerns can be quickly addressed. Plans are being made for rehabilitation of fire suppression work to begin once appropriate, including reducing the impact of erosion over burned areas,” according to fire officials.
A cause still hasn’t been determined. No injuries have been reported, but there is an evacuation order in place for those living on the eastern side of the fire.
The Hayden Fire began on July 19 about 18 miles of Leadore and has had steady growth since then. The latest update shows “fire growth was minimal” on Thursday.
The weekend forecast calls for rain and lower temperatures, which will help fire crews. Firefighters except “monsoonal moisture” to move over the area of the fire on Friday.
“Rainfall is likely to increase through the weekend, with measurements of up to half an inch projected through Saturday. The moisture will not be enough to fully suppress the fire but will significantly benefit the effort,” fire officials say in a news release.
Smoke may be visible along the southern border of the fire in the Pahsimeroi Valley where the fire has burned into high rocky ridges. This, along with the nearby Elkhorn fire and wildfires in neighboring states, will result in good or moderate air quality conditions.
The Lemhi County Sheriff’s Office is working with fire officials to coordinate evacuations. Portions of Salmon-Challis National Forest remain closed and Stage 1 fire restrictions are in place throughout the area as well.
The closure area is highlighted in the map below.
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