UPDATE (Sept. 20, 9 a.m.): Highway 21 between Lowman and Stanley reopened as scheduled at 8 a.m. on Friday. Drivers should expect delays, including a reduced 45 mph speed limit, while crews continues to work on repairing the highway.
The Idaho Transportation Department plans to reopen State Highway 21 from Lowman to Stanley at 8 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 20 after closing down due to nearby wildfires.
Traffic will be managed with a pilot car or flagging operation to safely guide vehicles through areas where crews are working on repairs.
ITD crews continue to work alongside emergency contractors to address the significant damage caused by the Wapiti Fire. This work includes clearing ditches, hauling materials to rebuild eroded hillsides, removing hundreds of hazardous trees, and replacing damaged guardrail. Once completed, steel guardrails that meet new modern standards will replace the burnt wooden rails.
Drivers are advised to avoid unnecessary trips and reminded not to stop along the highway, especially in the burn areas. Those traveling through the affected area should expect a temporary reduced speed limit of 45 mph and significant delays when crews are working on the highway.
While the recent rain in the area has helped suppress the fire, it also caused slides and boulders to fall onto the highway. Due to the evolving conditions created by the wildfire, ITD advises drivers to always check 511.idaho.gov before heading out.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story from Sept. 20.)
"We heard it was opening up, so we were debating whether to come this way or head up through Sun Valley," says Eagle resident Brett Johnson.
After nearly a month of closure due to the Wapiti Fire, traffic is finally flowing again on Highway 21 from Lowman to Stanley. ITD told us they planned to manage traffic with pilot cars and flagging operations.
However, during our drive along Highway 21, we did not encounter any active traffic management.
“We are here for a family reunion,” Johnson told Idaho News 6.
We spoke with Eagle resident Brett Johnson, who was making the trip to Stanley with his family, unsure of what to expect after a summer marked by major fires. "They sounded like they were pretty bad this summer, obviously… I think things are starting to calm down, so we'll see once we get up there what's left," says Johnson.
The Wapiti Fire, which was sparked by lightning on July 24th, has scorched more than 125,000 acres of some of the most scenic areas of the Boise, Sawtooth, and Salmon-Challis National Forests.
Despite the devastating blaze, businesses along Highway 21, such as the Sourdough lodge, have managed to stay open, providing both hospitality to visitors and lodging for some of the firefighters working the wildfire— with 478 still on the firelines.
The owner of the Sourdough lodge told us this is the first day they’ve seen a return to normal foot traffic since the highway shutdown. But even as life returns to some degree of normalcy along Highway 21, many surrounding areas, including the Sawtooth Lodge, remain closed due to ongoing fire activity.
