Cooler weather may help fire crews

Fire crews in central Idaho are expecting cooler weather and some precipitation over the weekend that will likely slow fire activity.

Crews are continuing to work on structure and resource protection and some trails and roads remain closed because of the activity. Rafting resumed on the Main Salmon River from Corn Creek on Thursday but parties are urged not to linger in the fire area because jet boats are operating in support of the firefighting efforts.

The Elkhorn Fire that destroyed buildings at Allison Ranch and Yellow Pine Ranch last weekend remains at 23,940 acres. Crews have made progress protecting bridges, cabins, lodges and historical sites. Structure protection mainly involves setting up systems of water pumps, hose lines and sprinklers.

The road to Whitewater Ranch remains closed to public traffic and temporary emergency closures are in place on roads, trails and the area east of Mallard Creek drainage through Bargamin Creek drainage and north of Bat Point. A temporary flight restriction also is in place.

The Great Basin Incident Management Team 2 assumed command of the Elkhorn Fire on Friday.

The Midnight Fire between the Elk City Wagon Road through Pilot Knob near Mountain House is holding at 179 acres and is 38% contained. Crews continue to improve and construct indirect fuel breaks by clearing dead and down vegetation and looking for smoke, embers and previously undetected hotspots.

The Peasley Creek drainage road is open but motorists are encouraged to avoid the road if possible because of heavy traffic and dust.

The Little Bear Fire on the Powell Ranger District a half mile from Bear Mountain Lookout and 1 mile south of U.S. Highway 12 is mapped at 1,646 acres.

Fire behavior has decreased slightly over the past two days because of cooler temperatures and better overnight humidity. The fire is still cleaning up dead, down logs that have fallen since the Freezeout Fire that burned in 2012.

A surge of showers and thunderstorms were expected to move into north central Idaho on Friday and continue through Monday. Temperatures were expected to be 10 to 15 degrees cooler and then gradually increase with drier weather by the middle of next week.