FORT HALL — Two wildfires that threatened homes in Fort Hall on Thursday were possibly caused by fireworks, prompting local authorities to sound the alarm ahead of the Fourth of July weekend.

It's no secret that fireworks can cause wildfires, but that's never been more true than now with drought-stricken Southeast Idaho tinder-dry after one of the driest winters on record.

The Fort Hall Fire Department responded to wildfires on Teepee Street around 5:30 p.m. and West Agency Road around 9 p.m. Both blazes threatened nearby homes before firefighters contained them. No structures were damaged and no injuries were reported — but the outcome could easily have been far worse.

That's the message Fort Hall Fire Chief Eric King wants residents to hear before they light a single firework this weekend.

"The quick response by our firefighters helped prevent these incidents from becoming much more serious," King said. "We ask everyone to do their part to help protect our community by using fireworks responsibly and remaining aware of the fire danger."

The conditions couldn't be more dangerous for fireworks use. Southeast Idaho is in the grip of a historic drought — snowpack this past winter came in at less than 40% of normal, rivers and reservoirs are critically low, and the region has already seen an elevated wildfire season. Grass and vegetation that would normally hold some moisture this time of year are bone dry, turning open fields and vacant lots into fuel waiting for a spark.

And fireworks provide exactly that spark — often in ways people don't anticipate. A firework that lands in dry grass doesn't need long to ignite it. Embers from aerial fireworks can travel significant distances via the wind before landing in vegetation. Even ground-based fireworks can throw sparks into nearby grass. In drought conditions like Southeast Idaho is experiencing right now, any of those scenarios can produce a fire that outpaces a person's ability to extinguish it within seconds.

Thursday's two Fort Hall fires were contained before they reached homes — but only because firefighters responded quickly. A fire that starts in an open field on a windy Fourth of July night doesn't always wait for fire trucks.

The Fort Hall Fire Department is urging residents to keep fireworks away from dry grass, vehicles and structures, have water immediately available before lighting anything, soak all debris thoroughly before discarding them, and call 911 immediately if a fire starts.

The fires were stopped Thursday. The Fire Department is hoping residents make sure there are no more to stop this weekend.