BOISE — Three homes burned and dozens of others were evacuated Wednesday as a wind-whipped grass fire northwest of Idaho's capital city expanded to thousands of acres and threatened rural subdivisions. No injuries were reported.
Firefighting planes, water bucket-wielding helicopters and about 50 firetrucks, engines, water tenders, brush rigs and bulldozers were dispatched to the site about 15 miles northwest of Boise. More than 300 firefighters from multiple agencies combined to fight the blaze.
The three homes were destroyed, as was a barn, said Lynn Hightower, a Boise Fire Department spokeswoman.
The fire, which was reported early Wednesday afternoon, began burning as an electrical storm moved through the area north of the town of Eagle, near state Route 16.