UPDATE (August 18): The Paddock Fire has now reached 100% containment.
Firefighters continue to monitor and patrol the fire perimeter and look for and extinguish any remaining heat in the interior. Crews are working with the local BLM resource specialists to identify, map and repair suppression damage from dozer lines or fences cut for fire suppression.
Crews and firefighters are gradually being released from the Paddock fire as suppression work diminishes and repair work is completed.
UPDATE (August 14, 4:30 am): The Paddock Fire has now reached 60% containment and crews are now shifting their efforts to suppression repair. The Incident Command Team has also started to demobilize and resources are being cut back.
The Red Flag Warning is still in effect, but there are no road closures at this time. Sage Hen Recreation Area is also open.
UPDATE (August 13, 8:00 am): The growth of the Paddock Fire has slowed down as fire crews have been able to reach 31% containment. The Red Flag Warning issued at 8 pm on August 12 is still in effect through 9 pm on August 13.
The fire still covers 187,185 acres north of Emmett. Today, Fire crews will continue tending to the perimeter of the fire.
The Red Flag Warning means that critical fire conditions are either currently occurring or will occur shortly.
Gusty and erratic winds are expected for Tuesday evening, which may cause the fire to spread further.
Evacuation orders for Gem County have been lifted and there are no road closures due to the fire at this time.
In Payette County, evacuation notices have been lifted in all areas except the Little Willow and Dry Creek area, which is being reduced to a level 1 (Be Ready) status.
In Washington County, residents east of Bear Creek Rd and South Crane Rd to the intersection of the Washington County, and Payette County Line are at a level 3 (Go Now). Residents west of Cove Rd and the Bear Creek Rd intersection to Frasier Rd and Unity Rd are at a level 2 (Be Set).
UPDATE (August 12, 6:40 pm):
A Red Flag Warning has been issued Aug. 12 at 7:56 p.m. until Aug. 13 at 9 p.m. Scattered lightning is expected Monday night through Tuesday evening, and outflow wind gusts up to 50 mph are also expected.
Most crews will continue to hold, monitor, and improve the perimeter of the Paddock Fire. There was a bigger presence in the Ola area on Monday as they are doing mop up and ensuring the fire will not endanger structures.
Gem County Sheriff’s Office have lifted the evacuation orders for Gem County. There are no road closures at this time.
According to the Bureau of Land Managment, 51 wild horses have been seen in the area of the Paddock Fire since it began and so far none are reported to have been injured or killed.
UPDATE (August 11, 6:51 pm): The Paddock Fire was active over the weekend just north of Emmett as fire crews worked to fortify containment lines and stop the spreading flames.
The wildfire now covers 187,185 acres and is 16% contained. The Gem County Office of Emergency Management says the fire has cost $3.5 million to fight so far.
RELATED | Multiple buildings destroyed due to the Paddock Fire
With a chance for thunderstorms on August 12 and 13, the flames could continue to spread as suppression efforts continue.
In Gem County, evacuation orders for the Sweet Ola Highway up to High Valley Rd. Spring Creek Road, Butte Rd. and the Van Deusen area North of Highway 52. All Evacuation Areas are reduced to a level 1 (Be Ready) status, a downgrade from the previous level 2 (Be Set) and level 3 (Go Now).
In Washington County, residents east of Bear Creek Rd and South Crane Rd to the intersection of the Washington County, and Payette County Line are at a level 3 (Go Now). Residents west of Cove Rd and the Bear Creek Rd intersection to Frasier Rd and Unity Rd are at a level 2 (Be Set).
In Payette County, evacuation notices are being lifted in all areas except the Little Willow and Dry Creek area. Which is being reduced to a level 1 (Be Ready) status.
UPDATE (August 9, 8:16 am): Several areas in Payette County are now under new evacuation notices, mostly to a "Ready Status".
The area of Little Willow to Highway 52, the area of the Payette Foothills east of Payette Heights, and Hill Rd. from Center Ave. to the Payette/Washington County line.
UPDATE (August 8, 11:52 am): The Paddock Fire has exploded in size since it was discovered on August 5, when it was a 50-acre grass fire. The wildfire now covers 153,237 acres near the south end of the Paddock Reservoir with no estimated containment.
Crews are working hard to construct containment lines and control the fire growth. A type 3 incident team has arrived and is working with local resources to combat the flames.
Evacuations of varying levels have been announced for Gem, Payette, and Washington Counties.
In Payette County, the area of Little Willow between Stone Quarry Rd and Dry Creek Rd is being moved back to a "Get Set" status. The other two areas on Little Willow and Big Willow/Succor Creek area are remaining at a "Go Now" evacuation status at this time. Updates will be posted to the Payette County Sheriff's Office Facebook page as the situation develops.
A level 3 (Go Now) evacuation has been issued for the following areas in Gem County:
- Dry Creek to Big Willow
- All of Dry Creek
- French Corner to East Big Willow
- Little Willow from Dry Creek to Paddock Valley
- Sucker Creek area
- VanDeussen from Sucker Creek to Butte Rd.
More information on the Gem County evacuation levels will be posted to the Gem County Fire Protection District #2 Facebook page.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office has issued a Level 1 “Be Ready” evacuation order for residents on Four Mile Rd, Big Flat Rd, Upper Soulen Rd, to South Crane Creek Rd to be ready to evacuate due to fire risk. At this level, residents should be thinking about their evacuation plan and monitoring news sources for a change in evacuation status. More information on evacuations in the county is available here.
UPDATE (August 8, 6:22 am): On Little Willow between Stone Quarry Rd. and Dry Creek Rd. residents in that area have been moved from a "Get Set" to a "Go Now" evacuation notice.
UPDATE (August 7, 4:45 pm): A level 3 evacuation has been issued for the following areas in Gem County:
- Dry Creek to Big Willow
- All of Dry Creek
- French Corner to East Big Willow
- Little Willow from Dry Creek to Paddock Valley
- Sucker Creek area
- VanDeussen from Sucker Creek to Butte Rd.
A Level 3 evacuation means the threat to the area is current or imminent, and immediate evacuation is required. If ignored residents must understand that emergency services may not be available to assist you further.
Washington County has reduced evacuations to level 1 (Be Ready), the fire map below displays the areas that should be prepared for an evacuation.
As the Paddock Fire continues to grow, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has announced $4.9 million in grants through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program.
The money will be going to communities in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington, with the Gem County Fire District being listed as a grant recipient.
The grant provides firefighters in Gem County with 48 sets of wildland personal protective equipment that will improve responder safety and operational effectiveness.
UPDATE (August 7, 1:30 pm): The BLM Idaho Fire is reporting that the Paddock Fire has continued to spread across the south end of the Paddock Reservoir.
The wildfire now covers 118,000+ acres as crews are working diligently to construct containment lines. A type 3 team has been ordered to continue work on the fire in the coming days.
The southern side of the fire is approaching the French Corner area and evacuations have been ordered for areas near Ola.
- Go Now: Individuals North of Baldwin Corner (pin on map) and in the area to the North of the blue line should evacuate immediately. This evacuation area stretches up to Sagehen reservoir.
- Be Ready: Individuals south of the yellow line in Ola and the Ola valley should prepare for possible evacuation.
The Gem County Fire Protection District #2 is posting updated evacuation information on their Facebook page.
Thick smoke will spread through the Emmett area Wednesday evening with moderate to thick smoke over Ada County Wednesday night due to the fire.
The Paddock Fire has now forced level 3 evacuations for residents on N. Crane Rd. and Four Mile Rd. south of Big Flat Rd.
Evacuations in Gem County for Ola and the Ola Valley area are in effect. If you live in the areas indicated in the map below from Gem County Fire Protection District #2, the Washington County Sheriff's Office is urging that you evacuate now.
We made a trip out to the small town of Ola to see how residents are holding up. A land owner told us he spent all of Tuesday removing cattle from the grazing area on his land to lower ground near the irrigation.
The fire has crested the hill west of Ola and we saw planes continually attack the edge of the fire with retardant.
"It’s important for those aerial resources to be working because that is what provides us some of that opportunity with the retardant to help slow down that fire so we can get in there and work with the dozers," said Chad Cline, of the Boise District Bureau of Land Management.
The land owner told us it has been around 18-years since a fire came over the ridge, although they did have a wildfire last year on the opposite ridge. He told us many of the home owners returned to their property to do what they could to protect it and gather valuables on Wednesday.
