13 August 2012, while the Eastern Idaho Interagency Fire Center isn’t reporting any new fires, that doesn’t mean the rest of the state isn’t on fire.
On 12 August 2012, more than 11 wildfires across the state burned at least 500 square miles (804.6 kilometers).
Today, things are so bad in the Boise foothills that a DC-10 Very Large Tanker (VLT) has been called in. The Ourada Ranch Fire grew 70 acres (28.3 hectares) in less than one hour!
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- Two Canadair CL-215 flying boats sitting on the ramp at Pocatello Airport, 13 August 2012. The trees in the background look hazy because of all the smoke in the air.
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- CL-215 can carry 5,346 litres (1,176 Imp gal) of water or 6,123 kg (12,000 lb) of chemicals.
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- Arizona based Aero Flite CL-215. The flying boat can scoop water from large lakes.
In northern Idaho, a firefighter lost her life when a tree fell on her. Anne Veseth was fighting the Steep Corner Fire, near Orofino, on 12 August. Fire officials are investigating.
The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is concerned about the amount of smoke in the air, all across the state. On 12 August health officials raised warnings, saying it could be days before the heavy smoke clears out.
The smoke is not just from wildfire in Idaho, but from huge fires in northern California and northern Nevada. Officials say weather and geography are playing a big part in smoking out Idahoans: “…when you get stagnant conditions, no wind, no real movement, everything just kind of sits on top of the whole area…”-Mike Toole, DEQ
