BY KAREN BOSSICK

A fire burning near Hailey has been contained and Deer Creek Road has been reopened to the public.

But, while there has not been any new growth on the Jolly Sailor Fire since Monday, better mapping shows the final size of the fire burning in Deer Creek at 215 acres, rather than the  80 acres it was first believed to be.

The fire was started Monday afternoon when a backhoe operator moving boulders hit his bucket on a rock causing a spark. Before the operator could get his shovel and fire extinguisher, the fire had spread through grass.

The fire occurred on the north side of Deer Creek about 1.5 miles west of the Forest Service boundary.

Here’s an update on other fires in the area:

• Fire activity on the lightning-caused BIBLE BACK FIRE burning 11 miles northeast of Smiley Creek increased Wednesday with warmer temperatures in the upper 60s, drier air and windier conditions.

  There was torching in subalpine fir trees in the Upper Washington Lake Creek area and on the southeastern perimeter. The fire is now 1,665 acres.

  The fire has resulted in the closing of popular recreational areas, such as the Chamberlain Basin and Castle Peak area.

  Fire activity is expected to increase through the weekend as temperatures continue to warm and windy conditions prevail.

• The lightning-caused STEWART CREEK FIRE 18 miles northwest of Fairfield was sending smoke over the southern end of the Wood River Valley Wednesday evening. It is 1,200 acres and 15 percent contained.

  The fire spans an area more than three miles long. It is as wide as a mile in some areas and a few hundred yards in others. But the248  firefighters working the fire are tasked with patrolling more than 14 miles of perimeter.

• The WAPITI FIRE near Grandjean is now said to have burned 5,490 acres, rather than the 7,787 acres it was believed to have burned earlier. The difference? More accurate mapping conducted by an aircraft equipped with infrared sensor. Additionally, officials say the fire destroyed three cabins and an outbuilding, not four cabins as originally feared.

The fire is 13 percent contained and has resulted in the closure of popular hiking and camping areas, such as Sawtooth Lake and the Baron Lakes.