Fires burn nearly 10,000 acres in Idaho

Wildfires burning across Idaho have scorched almost 10,000 acres.

A fire in north-central Idaho doubled in size Thursday, prompting the evacuation of about 100 homes in the Mount Idaho area southeast of Grangeville. The Blackerby Fire was estimated at more than 1,000 acres after burning embers were blown across the South Fork of the Clearwater River late Wednesday and early Thursday. The fire was burning on state land and in the Nez Perce National Forest.

Brian Shiplett, fire manager for the Idaho Department of Lands in Coeur d’Alene, said the Northern Rockies Coordination Center in Missoula, Mont. made the Blackerby Fire a top priority Thursday.

“They’ve ordered more resources onto it after they pumped the Grangeville Air Center completely out of fire retardant,” he said. The center supplies air tankers in the north-central Idaho region.

The blaze began Tuesday and the cause is under investigation.

Also in north-central Idaho, the China Ten fire had burned 735 acres in the Nez Perce forest 15 miles east of Grangeville Thursday and was threatening a historic Forest Service lookout tower on Pilot Knob. The Long Ruggles fire was 10 percent contained 12 miles southwest of Cottonwood after burning 800 acres on state lands.

Drifting smoke from fires in Idaho and Montana was limiting visibility in the Salmon area and the Forest Service advised travelers attending events marking the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial this weekend to drive cautiously.