Four structures claimed in Texas Fire
Wildfire northeast of Kendrick grows to more than 1,300 acres, remains 0% contained
KENDRICK — Four structures and more than 1,300 acres have been burned by the Texas Fire, which continues to be active northeast of Kendrick in Latah County.
Certain areas were put on a Level 3 evacuation, which means leave right now, while some spots, including the city of Kendrick, were in Level 2 (be ready to leave at a moment’s notice), and other areas were in Level 1 (be ready).
The fire has torched groups of trees and occasionally spotted in front of itself. Flame lengths of 3 to 4 feet have been observed in grassy areas. There is no containment on the fire. Two water-scooping airplanes, four helicopters and two single-engine air tankers along with 100 ground-based firefighters are working to suppress the blaze.
Matt Dimick was driving up Cedar Ridge Road to his home on Linden Road near Kendrick on Monday evening when he saw smoke and flames on both sides of the road.
Soon, he could barely see the road in front of him because it was enveloped in smoke. At one point, he looked up and the top of a tree was on fire.
“It turned instantly really kind of scary,” he said.
As of early Tuesday evening, Dimick and his wife have not had to evacuate their home, but their bags are packed just in case. He said Sheriff Richie Skiles stopped by and encouraged them to leave. Dimick said they are holding out as long as they are allowed to because they have animals on the property. He said the farmers that live near them are doing the same.
Dimick, who is the Lewiston Tribune building maintenance manager, said as long as the wind does not change, they should be safe.
American Red Cross set up an evacuation shelter inside Kendrick High School for displaced residents. No one was at the shelter early afternoon Tuesday, but Red Cross volunteer Max Nuxoll said they are available to provide cots, water, food and an air-conditioned space for those who need it.
He said a Red Cross volunteer will be available 24 hours a day. Nuxoll said he doesn’t know how many people to expect, but his experience responding to other regional fires in the past taught him that people are “pretty resilient and will stay with friends and families, or in their camper.”
Both Nez Perce and Latah county fairgrounds, as well as the Lewiston Roundup Grounds, are offering evacuation spaces for animals.
The Level 3 order was in effect on Cedar Ridge from Idaho State Highway 3 to Linden Road, as well as from Linden Rd. to S. Park Road and from Texas Ridge Road and East Road to Sundstrom Road.
Level 2 order were in effect from Texas Ridge and Sundstrom Road to Highway 3 and from Cedar Ridge at Linden Road to Three Bear Road, and all houses west of 1210 Cedar Ridge Road.
Level 1 notice was in effect for residences within 2 miles of the Level 2 area.
A Type 3 Incident team is scheduled to take over the fight today.
The Latah County Sheriff’s Office is seeking information on the cause of the Texas Fire.
“If you saw anything related to the fire during the afternoon of the 15th, please contact Cpl. Weaver at the Sheriff’s Office at 208-882-2216 x4,” the sheriff’s office posted on Facebook.
The sheriff’s office is asking anyone with security cameras, doorbell cameras or other media that may have captured anything of concern leading up to the fire to upload their footage at polaris.citizenupload.net/upload/TexasRidgeFire.
