Boise Foothills fire grows to over 4,000 acres. Official calls it ‘human-caused’
As crews continue to battle the Claremont Fire, officials are getting closer to finding the cause behind the wildfire.
Chad Cline, fire information officer with the Bureau of Land Management, told the Idaho Statesman on Tuesday that while what specifically led to the fire remains under investigation, he is confident it was “human-caused.”
The fire, which began near the 1900 block of North Claremont Drive, quickly spread Monday afternoon after winds took the flames uphill.
Across air resources, engines and crews on the ground, Cline told the Statesman that close to 200 people were working Tuesday to contain the fire. Responders hope to keep the size close to its current acreage as operations move forward, he said, but it’s tough to predict containment at the moment.
According to Watch Duty, the fire has grown to 4,420 acres.
“We’re hopeful to have containment in the next four to five days,” Cline said, stressing that the timeline will be dictated by weather conditions. “It’s going to be a lot of cleaning up areas (the crews) know are issues, working through those and making sure the fire is going to hold within their containment lines. They’ll slowly pinch the fire off as they go up, and then wrap around the fire.”
No evacuation orders have been given as a result of the fire. The Boise Fire Department is actively monitoring the direction of the blaze, which is burning north of the Military Reserve and southeast of Hulls Gulch Reserve, and has a system in place to notify those who live in the area if necessary. One structure was threatened but saved by firefighters, Boise Fire said.
Firefighters face challenges in portions of the Military Reserve as the areas contain hazardous, unexploded military ordnance. To combat this, Cline said, firefighters are working from the existing roads in the area to keep crews and the public safe from unexpected danger.
With the fire moving away from residential areas, Cline emphasized the importance of preparing for fire season before it comes.
“In these residential areas, (it is important to) make sure that your areas are clean and free of dry, dead vegetation that has been there for years,” he said. “Be proactive prior to the season, trim back your properties and make sure you have fire-safe or fire-resistant plants.”
Julie Bouchard, a Boise resident living in the Claremont area, said that while she feels safer with the fire line moving away from her home, she is frustrated at the pace with which information has come out.
“It has been scary,” Bouchard told the Statesman in an interview outside her residence. “We originally got lots of updates and warnings from Boise Fire, which was really nice, but now that it’s not in (the residential area), we’ve had little information.”
Temporary closures of public lands, roads and trails managed by the Bureau of Land Management remain in effect and are expected to be lifted on July 11. This includes lands, roads and trails between Bogus Basin Road, Idaho 21 and Boise Ridge Road. Private roads and most roads managed locally are not included in this closure.
The Ada County Highway District announced a closure of Shaw Mountain Road beyond East Rocky Bluff Lane, where the pavement ends, but expects the road to reopen Wednesday.