A 20-acre fire threatened as many as 20 structures Wednesday near Juliaetta, according to an Idaho Department of Lands news release.
The fire started around noon and was smoldering, meaning it was burning without flames and barely spreading, as of early Thursday afternoon, the release said. Resources remained on scene.
It said evacuations were not necessary and there were no injuries. No structures were damaged.
The fire burned in steep, rocky terrain and a helicopter dropped water on the fire.
The Idaho Department of Lands, Juliaetta Volunteer Fire Department, Kendrick Volunteer Fire Department, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service and the Nez Perce Tribe Forestry and Fire Management worked to extinguish the fire.
The cause is under investigation.
“It is unusual to have conditions so dry at this point in the spring,” said Mike McManus, Juliaetta fire incident commander. “We have seen an increase in fire starts and we ask the public to be very careful with burning. This fire was burning across rocks, and it is uncharacteristic for a fire to be able to burn like that at this point in the season.”
