Neighbors joined forces to save subdivision from Southeast Boise fire

Rick Feeser broke out his electric chain saw and chopped down sage brush tucked in boulders as flames roared near his house in southeast Boise’s Homestead Rim subdivision.

Next door, Jeff Herdman revved up his bush mower that was nearly sold when the family moved to Boise from Idaho City three months ago, and whacked down four-foot high grass and brush that crowded up against nearby wooden fences.

The two — along with about 10 other neighbors and passersby who hardly knew each other — joined forces to help save the 85-home subdivision from a deadly fire that killed one woman and destroyed 10 houses Monday night.

In the end, firefighters showed up just as the blaze was bearing down on Homestead, cut a firebreak with a bulldozer and doused the fire with water to halt its advance.

“Firefighters came and saved our bacon,” Feeser said.

But neighbors believe their quick action helped staved off the blaze until firefighters arrived.

Utility workers arrived on the scene Tuesday morning to begin digging up East Sweetwater Drive to access natural gas lines.

Crews will cap the lines running to property where homes were lost or severely damaged.

Natural gas service was cut Monday night to all the homes in the area, but crews said they hope to have service restored to by Tuesday evening.

Boise Mayor Dave Bieter declared a local disaster emergency Tuesday, a formality making it easier to get recovery efforts underway. Officials also hoped the declaration would help get some state and federal money for the recovery. It was unclear how much or what form it would take.

Twelve Boise police officers and five Meridian police officers were injured.

The Boise Fire Department activated the entire force last night. Bieter said it strained the city's resources to the maximum to fight the blaze.

Fire crews worked on the fires all night long, and fresh crews are now going over every home destroyed to do two things: extinguish hot spots and do a secondary search for any other victims, Assistant Fire Marshal Mark Senteno said Tuesday morning.

The brush fire has been extinguished.

Fire officials do not expect to find anyone else who may have died in the fire but had to do their initial searches in the dark, Senteno said.

Residents whose homes were damaged or destroyed are also being allowed back into the neighborhood once the homes are determined to be safe, Senteno said.

Homes were destroyed and damaged on both sides of East Sweetwater Drive and Immigrant Pass Court. The remains of a woman killed by the fire were found on a home on Immigrant Pass Court, according to reports.

The fire was first reported around 7 p.m. Monday in a desert field near the corner of East Amity and Holcomb roads. As winds from a cold front gusted to more than 40 mph, the fire moved uphill to the south, toward Sweetwater Drive in the Oregon Trail Heights subdivision, where the first house caught fire at 7:10 p.m.

The blaze quickly spread to a second house. Homes on both sides of Sweetwater burned. So did homes on Immigrant Pass Court, police said.

About 50 homes were evacuated, fire officials said. Witnesses reported hearing several explosions, possibly from ammunition and propane tanks in burning homes. Thick, black smoke obliterated views.