A pickup truck hauling a flat-bed trailer full of hay bales started a fire about 2:45 p.m. Thursday on the east side of Idaho 16 two miles north of the Firebird Raceway, prompting officials to close the highway in both directions.
The fire, between Emmett and Eagle, was put out by 4:30 p.m. Thursday and the road reopened. But officials said it could be as late as 11 p.m. Thursday before the fire is completely controlled.
In addition to the grass fire burning along the highway, there are also bales of hay burning in the road and on a trailer parked on Idaho 16.
The 100-acre brush fire -- dubbed the Mile Marker 8 fire -- brought out firefighters from seven agencies, including the Bureau of Land Management, Boise National Forest, three cities and two counties. It spread so quickly, a helicopter and a single-engine air tanker was used to help douse the flames.
Brandon Hampton, BLM spokesman, said Thursday night they were still trying to determine how the hay bales caught fire..
Thaanks Blue Moose. I am over in Emmett and have gotten essentially the same story. They routed people east of the highway over around the Pearl Road back to 16 this afternoon. My wife, one of my daughters, and three of my grandsons were among those so routed.
Been mighty hot up that way - if hay bales had enough moisture - well, they ever heard of spontaneous combustion?
Many barns lost to it...