First forest fire of season grows to 350 acres

DONNELLY, Idaho – Idaho’s first major forest fire of the season spread in the Boise National Forest on Thursday as additional crews and aircraft were brought in to help battle the blaze.

The Dollar Fire was burning on 350 acres of steep, heavily timbered roadless country about 13 miles east of Donnelly in west-central Idaho, Forest Service spokesman David Olson said.

Crews constructed an anchor point on the fire’s western flank to begin constructing fire lines. The blaze is moving in a northeasterly direction.

Olson described the type of fuel as “particularly nasty” sub-alpine fir – tall, skinny coniferous trees with limbs that go all the way to the bottom.

“When fire hits it, it tends to torch and send embers out up to half a mile,” starting spot fires ahead of the main line, he said.

There are also has a tremendous number of dead standing snags, which are a hazard to firefighters on the ground, Olson said.

The fire was burning on a ridge in remote country above the South Fork of the Salmon River in the Needles Peak area.