Range Fire Spreads To 10,000 Acres

A range fire at Davis Mountain, 43 miles east of Mountain Home, spread to 10,400 acres Friday evening despite the efforts of 150 firefighters, and a smaller blaze prompted an alert at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory.

The Bureau of Land Management said the Davis Mountain wildfire was spotted Thursday afternoon and was believed to be man-caused, although investigation into the cause was continuing.

The fire was burning in steep, rugged, inaccessible terrain and threatened a wilderness study area and wildlife habit.

Fire officials hoped to have a containment estimate Friday morning but said later in the day they had no idea when it might be contained or controlled.

In eastern Idaho, INEL and BLM crews aided by a water-dropping helicopter were battling a blaze that was reported about 4:30 p.m. Friday and by 8 p.m. had reached an estimated 300 acres.