Large wildfires continue to burn in Idaho

Published 9:49 pm Sunday, August 12, 2012

BOISE, Idaho — Fire officials say 11 large wildfires in Idaho on Sunday have burned about 500 square miles and are being fought by about 2,300 firefighters.

The 50-square-mile Trinity Ridge Fire about 50 miles east of Boise has drawn 635 of those firefighters who are dealing with a Red Flag warning through Monday for temperatures approaching 100 degrees along with low humidity and gusty winds. Officials say the human-caused fire is about 5 percent contained.

In central Idaho, the 77-square-mile Halstead Fire is continuing to burn through large areas of beetle-killed trees in the Salmon-Challis National Forest about 18 miles northwest of Stanley.

Some areas near the fire are closed, but officials say the Middle Fork of the Salmon River remains open to recreationists.