Crews battle western Idaho fire near U.S. Highway 95

    HORSESHOE BEND, Idaho (AP) — Authorities say U.S. Highway 95 has been reduced to one lane near Midvale as crews battle a 600-acre wildfire in western Idaho.

    The Roadside Fire started early Friday and the cause has not yet been determined.

    Denise Cobb with the Payette National Forest says the fire is burning on a mix of private, state, and federal land within the forest’s protection zone. Officials reported just before 2 p.m. that the blaze had crossed Sage Creek and was heading northwest.

    To the south, firefighters said a brush fire that burned 100 acres near Highway 55 outside of Horseshoe Bend had been contained. The Summit Ridge Fire ignited Thursday afternoon and forced the evacuation of more than 10 homes.

    The blaze destroyed a barn but no houses were harmed.

Wildfires reignite in Soda, Grace areas

By Journal staff

    Fires that reignited in Soda Springs and the Grace area were deemed under control  Friday evening, according to officials.

    Firefighters in Caribou County put out a blaze east of Soda Springs Thursday that had started the day before. Crews then reported to another fire that afternoon on the 1900 block of Turner Road in Grace. According to a previous Journal article, the resident’s trash incinerator ignited nearby grass which spread around the home and along the road. Fire crews arrived and worked to extinguish the blaze.

    As of Thursday the fires had been under control, but were reignited Friday.

    The fire that threatened homes near Soda Springs had burned more than 200 acres. It appeared to have caused smoke damage to some residences. Although it was reported the Soda fire had reignited, it was not known as of press time if the more acreage had burned.

    The Caribou County Sheriff’s Office said a press release would likely be issued Monday.