North central Idaho’s Texas Fire 80% contained
Crew members from the Miller Timber Services, Alpha Crew, grid the Texas Fire as part of mop-up operations outside of Kendrick, Idaho on July 22, 2024. (Courtesy of SRouse, public information for the Northern Rockies Team 8)
Fire officials plan to assign fewer firefighters to the Texas Fire in north central Idaho as they report the wildfire is 80% contained.
The Texas Fire burning east of Kendrick in Latah County slightly grew to 1,582 acres, the Idaho Department of Lands said in a news release Wednesday, which is the final update on the fire unless conditions change.
There were 114 firefighters responding to the fire Wednesday. Officials announced Tuesday that personnel on the fire will “decrease drastically” as officials release resources from the Texas Fire to support other large fire incidents.
Firefighters were set to check visible smoke and prevent the fire from spreading. The human-caused fire started July 15.
Cooler temperatures in the low 90s were expected in the area Wednesday, along with a 25% chance for thunderstorms and scattered showers after 3 p.m. Pacific time and potentially “gusty, erratic” 20-30 mile-per-hour winds. Thursday’s mostly dry, cold front is expected to bring sustained west to southwest winds around 10 miles per hour.
Stage 1 Fire Restrictions are in place for the Grangeville Fire Restrictions Area, which apply to all federal, state, state endowment, private forestland and rangeland property in the area, the release said.
Drivers are still encouraged to slow down in the fire area, where firefighters continue to work and drive, fire officials say.
Officials say a wildfire in central Idaho called the Bench Lake Fire is 34% contained and has not grown from 2,595 acres.
But firefighters are bracing for scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening and fast winds that could challenge the fireline, officials say.