For Immediate Release: July 3, 2017, 9:30 a.m.
MENAN BUTTE FIRE UPDATE
Twitter: @BLMIdahoFire
(#MenanButteFire & BLMIFDFire)
(#MenanButteFire & BLMIFDFire)
IDAHO FALLS, ID – Crews held the fire perimeter overnight
at 212 acres. Fire managers estimate full containment at 6 p.m. today. The Menan Butte fire
started at approximately 11 p.m. July 1 and evidence suggested the
fire was caused by fireworks. The investigation is ongoing.
Multiple agencies
assisted in fire fighting efforts Sunday evening and into the early hours Monday
morning. Three single air tankers and a heavy air tanker made multiple retardant
drops on the advancing head of the fire. Two dozers worked lining the fire
perimeter.
Storms passing over
the area late Sunday afternoon brought erratic winds rekindling hot spots in
the interior of the fire, causing the fire to grow from 30 acres to 212 acres. The
fire did not threaten structures and roads were not closed. The fire remained
on BLM land and did not burn the butte.
Fire managers reported
this morning the fire is smoldering and has reached 75% containment. Seven
engines from the BLM and Forest Service along with two dozers will continue to
secure the fire perimeter and mop up the fire today.
Help
prevent wildfires this holiday weekend.
Fireworks are prohibited on BLM land under
the BLM Fire Prevention Order that is in effect until October 20th. This is the fourth human caused
fire in the Menan Butte area in the last two weeks. There have been two fires caused
by shooting and one caused by an abandoned campfire.
For breaking fire
information, follow @BLMIdahoFire on Twitter and search for #BLMIFDFire for
posts specifically related to eastern Idaho. One less spark means one
less Idaho wildfire.
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