Wildfires, smoke affect Boise’s air quality

Smoke is affecting air quality in Boise, as multiple wildfires burn. The Mile Marker 14 fire near Lucky Peak was declared 100 percent controlled on Monday, but a new fire, the Mile Marker 52 fire near Avimor on Highway 55, ignited on Tuesday, and as of 8 p.m., had grown to 250 to 300 acres and was 10 percent contained, with 85 firefighters working on it; like the Lucky Peak fire, this one was human-caused. Meanwhile, the Pioneer Fire near Idaho City has grown to nearly 5,000 acres and is 32 percent contained; its cause is listed as unknown. That fire, which has 853 firefighters working on it, is expected to continue to spread smoke through a large area including Boise, Cascade and Lowman. The Idaho DEQ reports that air quality in the Treasure Valley today is in the moderate range.