BY KAREN BOSSICK
The Sharps Fire grew only about 4,000 acres overnight but firefighters continue to worry that the north end of the fire could continue to the intersection of East Fork and Cove Creek roads.
The fire is currently 53,950 acres and 29 percent contained. Firefighters who have been buttoning up the south flank will be deployed to work a line on the west side of the fire near Hailey and East Fork, said K.J. Pollock, fire information officer for the Type 1 Great Basin Team fighting the fire.
The 300-plus firefighters working on the fire are expecting a cold front to come through this afternoon, bringing 40- to 45-mile-per-hour winds on ridgetops. And winds are expected to continue on Friday, said Pollock.
Those on the east side of Highway 75 from Myrtle Street in Hailey to East Fork Road who have received pre-evacuation orders should take them very seriously but not panic, said Holly Carter, public information officer for the Blaine County Sheriff’s Department.
“There’s a lot of livestock in the area and there are some people who may not be well connected (communications-wise) so we want to give them plenty of time to get livestock out,” she said. “Everybody in those areas should have important documents, medications and pets ready to grab and go.”