Wildfire jumps the Salmon River

“It was too dangerous for firefighters to be near the river,” said Jose Acosta, fire information officer. “It grew 30,000 acres in one day, thereabouts. It was unsafe for firefighters to be downwind.”

“Mother Nature won on Saturday,” Acosta told the Associated Press. “We had to get out of the way. Those were serious wind gusts that blew the fire at an amazing speed.” After crossing the river and moving north, the fire consumed another 46 square miles of vegetation.

The closure of a 17.78-mile stretch of the Salmon River upstream of Riggins continues; 109 rafters on the Salmon have been halted for evacuation. Acosta said 72 were taken out over the weekend and 37 remained Monday. Betsy Russell, EOB