BOISE, Idaho — Crews from the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service are battling a brush fire near the Arrowrock Dam.
The fire, which has now been dubbed the Deer Fire, was reported just before 7 p.m. Wednesday, according to an official with the BLM. It is about 12 miles northeast of Boise.
The lightning-caused fire has burned 856 acres of mostly grass and sagebrush in steep and rugged terrain. It is 88 percent contained.
Thunderstorms across the Boise National Forest starting Thursday, July 28, and continuing through the weekend ignited 10 wildland fires. Of these new starts, four have been called out and two are contained, all were reported at 0.1 acres.
The Johnson Fire was reported Monday two and half miles south of Yellow Pine. Currently it is a tenth of an acre, ground resources are using full suppression methods to contain the blaze. The Timber Fire and Wash Fire were also reported today in the Alder Creek area near Garden Valley. Both fires are estimated at 0.1 acres. Crews are making quick work to contain these fires.
Fire managers remind visitors that despite the rain, fuels are still very dry, and the forest remains in Stage 1 Fire Restrictions.
The Deer Fire is burning in critical winter range for wildlife and located 3 miles north of Arrowrock Dam within the Mountain Home Ranger District of the Boise National Forest.
The Forest Service has 164 personnel assigned to this fire. Resources include 5 (20 person) crews, 5 engines, 2 heavy airtankers, 2 waters scoopers, 4 helicopters and 2 bulldozers.
Visitors traveling to Atlanta, Idaho, are encouraged to use National Forest System (NFS) road 327 (Granite/Rabbit Creek) and reminded that NFS road 384 (Edna Creek) is closed for construction and impassable.
Motorists should use caution driving along the Arrowrock Road (#268) corridor and expect to encounter fire traffic and delays as crews work to suppress the fire. There are currently no closures in effect.
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