Update: (As of September 14th, 2024)
The Lava Fire continues to burn over 95,000 acres and is just 22% contained. Over 800 personnel are assigned to the fire. Structure protection is still the main focus of the crews, especially Indian Mountain Lookout as a precaution. Cold Spring Ridge to Cascade Lake had a dozer line behind structures.
Evacuations and road closures:
Adams County: Level 3 "GO" for residents South of South Grays Creek and along Little Weiser Road in Indian Valley.
Level 2 "SET" for North of South Grays Creek Road to Highway 95.
Level 1 "READY" for Mesa area.
Gem County Sheriff's Office: Level 2 "SET" residents on Third Fork Road (North of Nesbitt Lane), Second Fork Road (North of Nesbitt Lane) and the Sage Hen Reservior area.
Level 1 "READY" for residents of Nesbitt Lane.
Valley County Sheriff's Office: Zones 4-11 are in a Level 2 "SET" evacuation notice.
Update: (Septemeber 14th, 2024)
The Lava Fire has burned 95,697 acres and is 16% contained with 824 personnel assigned. Property in evacuated or Forest Service-closed areas must remain until authorities declare it safe to return.
Fire lines were established on the west flank and around the northern flank near Indian Mountain Lookout Tower. The Four Corners Fire scar was managed near Hazard Creek and Lookout Peak, with lines being built as needed. On the southwestern flank, crews mopped up areas east of Indian Valley Road, North Crane Road, and Spring Creek. The Red Fire was controlled by the end of the day.
UPDATE: (Sept 12th, 7:25 p.m.)
The Boulder Fire West Mountain Zones 4, 5, & 6 have been downgraded from "GO" to "SET." The determination for these to be downgraded came from Sheriff Copperi of the West Mountain Fires officials. Roadblocks are currently being removed for residents to return to their homes after receiving a CodeRED notification.
Zones 7-11 remain in their current status of "SET." The assessment of these zones will be over the next few days after the events of weather and fire activity.
UPDATE: (Sept. 12, 10 a.m.): As of today, the name “Boulder Fire” ceases to exist, as the area that was the Boulder Fire is now a part of the Lava Fire. The communities will have the same protection, in many cases, by the same firefighters.
However, the latest information can now be found on the Lava Fire Facebook page.
A community meeting is planned for 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 13 at the Ola Community Center.
UPDATE: (Sept. 11, 10 a.m.): The Lava Fire continued to exhibit highly active behavior on Tuesday, after merging with with the Boulder Fire for a combined acreage of over 78,000 acres.
Crews continued fire suppression and structure protection efforts on Tuesday night and into early Wednesday morning.
Gem County Sheriff’s Office has issued LEVEL 3 “GO” Evacuation notices to residents on Third Fork Road, Second Fork Road, and the Sage Hen Reservoir area. A LEVEL 2 “SET” Evacuation has been issued for Nesbitt Lane residents.
Adams County Sheriff’s Office issued LEVEL 3 “GO” Evacuation notices to residents south of South Grays Creek and along Little Weiser Road in Indian Valley. A LEVEL 2 “SET” Evacuation has been issued for residents North of South Grays Creek Road to Highway 95, and a LEVEL 1 “READY” Evacuation has been issued for the Mesa area.
The Boise and Payette National Forests also implemented a joint Lava and Boulder Fire Area, Road, and Trail Closure for public and firefighter safety.
The trail and road closures includes Forest Service lands north of the 601 Road and north all the way to the northernmost extent of Lake Cascade.
For the latest evacuation details, head to the U.S. Forest Service Boise National Forest Facebook page.
UPDATE: (Sept. 10, 8:15 a.m.): According to NIFC, the Lava Fire has grown to 60,000 acres with still no containment.
UPDATE: (Sept. 9, 2:45 p.m.): The Valley County Sheriff's Office is ordering a "GO NOW" evacuation for residents in Zones 4, 5 and 6.. An interactive map to see where your zone is can be found online.
Those in "GO NOW" zones need to leave immediately. Roadblocks on West Mountain Rd will be moved north, near Hurd Creek. No access will be allowed in the area once you leave.
Zones 7, 8 and 9 are now under "SET" evacuation notices. Those under this notice should be ready to leave at a moments notice. Sign up for CodeRed Alerts here.
Related: Evacuation ordered near Boulder Fire
UPDATE: (Sept. 9, 9:45 a.m.) The Lava Fire burning southwest of Cascade Reservoir saw significant growth with windy weather over the weekend and is now reported to be around 46,733 acres. Sunday's evacuation notices remain in place.
Officials say firefighting personnel and resources had to evacuate the area Sunday morning due to rapid fire spread. The incident management team and all firefighters have since relocated and all personnel are safe and accounted for.
Structural damage was being assessed by fire managers and the county sheriff’s office as of Monday morning's fire update.
"Fire managers and personnel are working to develop a structure protection strategy and establish an anchor point from which to build fireline," the release said. "Additionally, a Complex Incident Management Team (CIMT) has been ordered and will take command of the fire in the coming days."
UPDATE: (Sept. 8, 3:00 p.m.) The Adams County Sheriff's Office notifying residents of a "SET" evacuation notice. All residences from Little Weiser Rd in Indian Valley, to south of Council on the east side of Highway 95 are under this order.
UPDATE (Sept. 8, 3:00 p.m.): The Lava Fire is now roughly 20,000 acres. The Gem County Emergency Management Office has issued a level 3 “GO NOW” Evacuation Notice for residences on Third Fork Rd, north of Nesbitt Ln., residences on Nesbitt Ln., residences on Second Fork Road, north of Nesbitt Ln., and residences in the Sage Hen Reservoir area.
The Gem County Sheriff's Office notified the impacted residences in person of the evacuation on Sept. 8. Any questions regarding evacuations should be directed to the Gem County Sheriff's Dispatch at (208) 365-3521.
Two new lightning-caused fires are burning in the Boise National Forest.
The Lava and Sheep Fires were both detected on Sept. 5th.
According to a release from the Forest Service, The Lava Fire is burning about 9 miles north of Ola in the Chief Eagle Eye Creek Drainage and has burned about 550 acres.
The Sheep Fire is burning about 9 miles east/southeast of Idaho City near the confluence of the Middle Fork and North Fork Boise River. The fire has burned about 160 acres so far.
Crews are attacking both fires from the air and the ground, no word on containment.
Closures for both these fires are in place.
