BY KAREN BOSSICK

The new Blaine County Fire & Rescue was consolidated on Wednesday, July 1.

And on Thursday, July 2, firefighters from that newly formed entity responded to their first fire—a stovetop fire at a small commercial property near the intersection of Fifth Street and First Avenue in Ketchum.

Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire quickly, preventing it from spreading. Units responding to the incident included Engine 1, Truck 1 and Sun Valley Chief 1.

Blaine County Fire & Rescue was formed on Wednesday when a Joint Powers Agreement took effect, bringing BC South Fire Protection District, the City of Hailey Fire Department and the Ketchum Fire District together as a single department.

Just before that move, members of what was then the BC South Fire Protection District extinguished a small fire south of Bellevue about 6 p.m. Tuesday. The fire south of Derby Road was ignited by fireworks.

Carey firefighters responded to a fire earlier this week—a roadside brush fire off U.S. Highway 20 three miles west of Picabo. It was believed to be started by tailer chains dragging on the road.

The possession and discharge of fireworks are prohibited throughout Blaine County under Blaine County Resolution 2026-13 adopted by the Board of County Commissions on May 6, 2026. Burn bans also are in place throughout the Carey Rural Fire Protection District.