Idaho Has Most Fires Burning In Western US; Travel North Risky
With multiple fires currently burning across the state of Idaho, travel to the northern portion of the state could pose some risks for those with plans to travel in the coming days. Idaho has close to a dozen active fires.
There are currently close to a dozen wildfires burning throughout Idaho, according to the most recent data found on the Idaho Fire Map. All active blazes are presently burning between central and northern Idaho, with seven of those fires consuming land in the state's panhandle.
Firefighters across the state have been training for weeks to prepare for a fire season that is expected to be a brutal one, due to drought and extreme temperatures. The closest wildfire burning to southern Idaho presently is the Elk Fire, which is small in size and has zero-percent containment currently. It's burning near the Salmon River, and on the southern outskirts of the Challis National Forest.
The Dixie-Jumbo Fires are currently Idaho's largest blazes, having consumed approximately 15,000 acres to date. The western United States is presently experiencing record temperatures and drought conditions, which are fueling more than 40 fires across the region. Eastern Oregon and California have seen record temperatures in the past few days.
The 11 fires burning throughout Idaho have consumed more than 80,000 acres, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. California, which typically experiences the worst fire season in the western U.S., currently has seven wildfires reported across the state.
If you see signs of a wildfire, please contact your local fire department. Lighting has been the cause of a number of Idaho blazes currently burning.