Fire crews in the Boise National Forest are now working on nine new lightning-caused fires, as lightning cells moved through the area Sunday afternoon.
Very little rain occurred with the lightning event. Most of the new fires are small (under 2 acres) and approximately 50 percent of these are staffed, according to a press release from the Boise National Forest.
These new start fires are being fought with a variety of crews, engines, helicopters and air tankers.
Four of the fires are in the Boiling Springs area, about 15 miles north of Garden Valley in Valley County. Another is about 1-mile north of Sage Hen Reservoir and the fourth is about 3 miles northeast of Silver Creek Hot Springs area. These are also in Valley County.
Other new fire starts are scattered in areas generally east of Cascade.
One of the new starts, the Rough Fire, was detected early Sunday morning. A 20-person hand crew hiked into the fire as initial response resources. This fire is located about 14 miles north/northeast of Lowman and is currently about 50 acres. No human infrastructure is threatened.
The area surrounding the Rough Fire includes fire scars dating from 2006 through 2010, including the Red Mountain, Casner and Sheep Mountain fires. Officials anticipate that these old fire scars will influence fire behavior should the Rough Fire burn into these areas.
Fire lookouts and air detection flights are continuing to look for new fire starts.
