BY KAREN BOSSICK

A line of thunderstorms with wind gusts up to 45 miles per hour is believed to have sparked a wildfire four miles south of Dietrich about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The South Dietrich Fire It had spread to 500 acres in grass and brush by Thursday afternoon. A BLM spokesperson said the fire was expected to be contained Thursday night and controlled Friday night.

The fire was one of several apparently started by lightning Wednesday night.

• The Phillips Fire, reported Wednesday evening, is located about eight miles north of Fairfield in the Free Gold Creek drainage. It was about 150 acres Thursday afternoon and burning in brush and timber. Aircraft have been utilized by those on the ground.
• The Sawmill Fire is one-tenth of an acres and located one mile north of Wells Summit. Burning in lodgepole pine, firefighters hoped to contain it by 2 p.m. Thursday and control it that evening despite a Red Flag Warning calling for hot, dry, windy conditions with low humidity.
• A cluster of small fires started Wednesday night around Bogus Basin ski area 16 miles north of Boise. The Clear Fire was less than an acre; the Bogus Fire, 2.5 acres; the Shafer Fire, .5 acres and the Milk Fire, an acre.
• Two fires near Idaho City--the Hungarian and Meadow fires--were both less than an acre.
• The Pumpkin Fire northeast of Horseshoe Bend is 15 acres.
• There also was a small grass fire about one-tenth acre in size near Sage Road in Warm Springs.
• The 91-acre Golden Fire started a few days ago in the Boise National Forest and is now fully contained.

While the Sawtooth National Forest looks green, fire danger is a concern, said Julie Thomas, public affairs officer. Fire danger is high and headed to extreme.

All it takes is one small breeze to ignite one small ember and you have a major conflagration on your hands, said Julie Thomas, public affairs officer with Sawtooth National Forest.

“Fires can start quickly and will burn in vegetation that seems green but is drying out. Weather conditions have been very hot and cry across the forest with warm and dry conditions continuing,” she said.

A week ago, Sawtooth National Forest officials reported there have been 136 unattended campfires this summer—59 in one week. Two fires resulted from unattended campfires or fires that were not fully put out—both, fortunately, were attended to quickly.

“Remember: If it’s too hot to touch, it’s too hot to leave,” said Thomas. “Pour water and add dirt to your campfire until it is cold. One spark is all it takes to start a wildfire.”

In the last 24 hours 1,670 acres burned in Idaho.