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900 W. Main St.,
PO Box 690 Grangeville, ID 83530
Phone: 208.983.1200 |
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| Field fire under state investigation |
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| Aug. 26 Canyon Road Fire burns 1,067 acres; destroys structure, wheat field |
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 | | Free Press/David Rauzi | | Flames and smoke move eastward toward Highway 7 in last Thursday’s field fire at Grangeville. |
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By ICFP editor - David Rauzi
GRANGEVILLE -- High winds whipped a planned agricultural field burn out of control along Highway 7 last week into a blaze that kept firefighters hopping throughout the day to control.
Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) is currently investigating the cause of the Thursday, Aug. 26, Canyon Road Fire just north of Grangeville that burned a total 1,067 acres, in which approximately 140 acres of wheat was lost along with a pump house structure. Damage occurred to two Idaho County Light and Power Cooperative utility poles, requiring one to be replaced and minor repairs to the other.
"It was a nasty fire with wind," said Fire Chief Dan Tackett, Grangeville Rural Fire Department (GRFD).
"Winds were a problem," said IDL Craig Mountain Fire District Fire Warden Rob Pentzer, which fanned the blaze with sustained speeds between 20 to 25 mph and gusts of more than 30.
"With those high winds it could have been a lot worse," Tackett said. "We were pretty lucky to even catch up with it."
GRFD dispatched 14 personnel (eight on initial call, six for relief crew), two rural trucks and a water tender following an 11:14 a.m. call to Idaho County Dispatch from a Primeland crew reporting an out-of-control burn west of Highway 7. The fire originated on property owned by Gerald Arnzen of Grangeville, approved under an Idaho DEQ burn permit for 151 acres. Winds picked up and pushed the blaze north, east and west, according to Tackett, and in midafternoon winds shifted and sent the fire -- and blown embers -- south.
According to the National Weather Service, last Thursday afternoon in Grangeville temperatures reached 98 degrees and wind gusts reached 40 mph.
Additional area structures were threatened, however, no other damage was reported. Due to periodic smoke obstruction, traffic delays and detours were made on U.S. Highway 95 and Highway 7. No injuries were reported. Fire containment was made at 5:27 p.m.
Assisting on this fire included water trucks from Primeland, MacGregor and Idaho Forest Group, two engines each from the Forest Service and Idaho Department of Lands, and traffic control by Idaho State Police, Idaho County Sheriff's Office and Grangeville Police Department.
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