Authorities closed several main highways in western Idaho Friday after fire swept across 10,000 acres of rugged, steep terrain in the Payette River Canyon.
Fire bosses were using ground crews, backed up by retardant-dropping air tankers and helicopters, to battle the Cottonwood Fire. A special team used only for major fires was called in to take over management of the blaze.Ten crews, about 200 firefighters, were on the blaze by Friday night, said Arnold Hartigan of the Boise Interagency Fire Center. The flames had burned about 5,000 acres of timber and 5,000 acres of rangeland, located on state, federal and private property.
Two air tankers dropped retardant loads to check its advance.
The blaze was burning on both sides of the Payette River between the small towns of Gardena and Banks.