Winds Revive Fires On Inel Land

Heavy rain helped crews contain new range fires that burned an additional 4,000 acres on Tuesday at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory.

Crews from the INEL and the Bureau of Land Management battled as many as eight fires both on and off the U.S. Department of Energy site. Winds gusting up to 30 mph helped reignite seven fires from hot spots remaining after crews contained blazes that blackened up to 20,000 acres on Monday. The eighth fire was started by lightning south of the INEL boundary.

Air tankers and helicopters were called in about midday Tuesday to battle the new flames as fire bosses rebuilt manpower that had dwindled to just 20 in the morning.

Land managers said no buildings on the INEL site were jeopardized and, unlike Monday evening, all highways in the area remained open.

The original three fires swept across sage and grass after being ignited by material burning in the back of a pickup truck Monday afternoon. They were initially reined in before sunrise on Tuesday.