Latest News & Updates
Latest News & Updates
Sawtooth Valley Wildland Fire Collaborative
(opens in a new tab)As a program of the Sawtooth Society, the SVWFC was formed to operate as a hub for Community Wildfire Resilience, Communication, and Collaborative land management for protecting structures and land in the SNRA.
Stage 1 Fire Restrictions, which have been in place on National Forest Systems lands in the Cassia Fire Restrictions Zone since July 1, will extend to include all National Forest System, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and State lands, as well as private forest and rangelands, in the South Idaho Interagency Dispatch Area 12:01 a.m. Friday, August 7.
Additional details can be found in the press release posted online at www.fs.usda.gov/r04/sawtooth/newsroom/releases
The official orders for Stage 1 Fire Restrictions on National Forest System lands can be found online at www.fs.usda.gov/r04/sawtooth/alerts.
Join us next weekend for an incredible series about Fire Ecology and how our forests recover after wildfire events!
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OHIO FIRE EVACUATION UPDATE 8:00 PM 7/20/2026
EFFECTIVE 9:00 PM:
***Ohio Gulch Rd. residences, Valley Club, and Indian Creek Rd are reduced from “GO NOW” to “SET” status. This means you may return to your residences, but SHOULD CONDITIONS CHANGE, you must be ready to evacuate again at a moment’s notice. Maintain situational awareness. If you feel you are in danger, do not wait for an evacuation order. Take the initiative and self-evacuate. YOU WILL NOT BE LET INTO THESE AREAS UNTIL 9:00 P.M.
**Indian Creek Rd. and the Heatherlands remain in a soft closure, OPEN TO RESIDENTS ONLY.
*Ohio Gulch Rd., the transfer station, and the Valley Club will be open to the public.
*Ohio Gulch and Indian Creek are CLOSED TO PUBLIC RECREATION as fire crews continue to work and monitor the burn area over the next several days. This includes off-road vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrian traffic.
*The Hiawatha zone, including all homes in the Hiawatha neighborhood and Red Devil Lane, REMAIN IN SET Status.
* East Fork-Triumph zone: from the mine to the East REMAIN IN SET Status.
The public is asked, for the safety of first responders, to respect these evacuation statuses and STAY OUT OF THESE AREAS. This remains an active fire scene; DO NOT FLY DRONES.
As of this evening, the fire remains estimated at approximately 2,035 acres with 60% containment. (corrected from 10 % in original post) No structures have been damaged or lost.
Thank you to all the firefighters, dispatchers, pilots, law enforcement personnel, public works crews, and partner agencies who continue working tirelessly to protect our community. We also appreciate the patience and support of our residents during this incident. Stay safe, Blaine County.
#BlaineCoSheriffIdaho
#OhioFire
#bcsouthfire
Below is the Blaine County READY, SET, GO, map of the Ohio Gulch Fire. This map DORS NOT reflect the current fire activity locations
As a reminder:
OHIO GULCH and INDIAN CREEK are still in GO STATUS.
HIAWATHA and TRIUMPH zones are in READY status - have your bags near the door and be prepared to evacuate.
Please follow evacuation orders and road closures - they are for the safety of the public and emergency crewsOhio Fire Road Closures: Buttercup Road at Hwy 75 and at Red Devil Lane is NOW CLOSED.
Folks, Please STAY OUT OF THE AREA! Your presence is making it harder for our emergency personnel. Keep your drones grounded. Follow us on social media for up-to-date evacuation information or check our website.
Evacuees can go to the Life Church in Hailey to the American Red Cross of Idaho and East Oregon fire evacuation shelter. The most recent estimate puts the fire at 500 acres.
Posted 5:15 PM 7/18/2026
Evacuation sations have been established at the addresses below for the Ohio Gulch Fire impacted neighborhoods.
Ohio Gulch and Indian Creek areas are on GO STATUS. If you are in these areas, EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY.
Hiawatha North subdivision in Hailey is in READY STATUS. Prepare to evacuate, grab important documents, and round up pets. If you feel unsafe DO NOT WAIT TO BE TOLD TO EVACUATE.🔥 The American Red Cross has opened an evacuation center to support those impacted by the Ohio Fire in Blaine County.
📍 Life Church
931 N. River St.
Hailey, ID 83333
Anyone affected by the fire or under evacuation orders can visit for a safe place to rest, water, snacks, charging for devices, information and Red Cross support.
For the latest evacuation information, follow Blaine County Emergency Management.
**************************
🔥 La Cruz Roja Americana ha abierto un centro de evacuación para apoyar a las personas afectadas por el incendio Ohio en el condado de Blaine.
📍 Life Church
931 N. River St.
Hailey, ID 83333
Las personas afectadas por el incendio o que estén bajo órdenes de evacuación pueden acudir para encontrar un lugar seguro para descansar, agua, refrigerios, estaciones para cargar dispositivos, información y apoyo de la Cruz Roja.
Para obtener la información más reciente sobre las evacuaciones, siga a Blaine County Emergency Management.
#OhioFire #Idaho #RedCross #BlaineCounty
Indian Creek Subdivision is now on GO STATUS. If you are in the Indian Creek, Vallet Club, or Ohio Gulch Area - EVACUATE NOW.OHIO FIRE EVACUATION UPDATE: The Indian Creek zone is now on Level 3 GO NOW EVACUATION Status. This includes all homes in the Indian Creek Subdivision and the Indian Creek drainage areas. This means LEAVE IMMEDIATELY. You are in fire danger.
Please note that you will not be allowed back into the area until the fire danger has passed.
The Hiawatha zone is now on Level 2 SET Status. This includes all homes in the Hiawatha neighborhood, including Red Devil Lane. Make immediate preparations to leave within a moment's notice.
Posted 4: 22 pm 7/18/2026.
While Mid-Wood River valley is outside of our area of effect, we wanted to relay notifications regarding the Ohio Gulch Fire. If you are Mid-Valley in the Wood River Valley near Ohio Gulch and The Valley Club, be aware of emergency evacuations and air resources in the area.
REMINDER: No Drones in the area - if you are flying a drone, they cannot be flying air resources to combat the fire.EVACUATION ALERT: Residents in the Ohio Gulch zone, dump, and Wynn’s compost are on GO NOW evacuation status due to the new fire off of Ohio Gulch Rd. This includes the Heatherlands and the Valley Club.
This means LEAVE IMMEDIATELY. You are in fire danger. The road is shut down at Starweather.
All homes in the Indian Creek Subdivision are now in SET status. This means you should make immediate preparations to evacuate at a moment's notice. Maintain situational awareness, and if you feel you are in danger, do not wait for an evacuation order. This is a fast-moving fire. Take the initiative and self-evacuate.
Public Reminders:
Please stay out of the area to allow fire crews access. Crews are responding.
Do NOT fly drones to get a look if you fly, aerial fire support cannot. Please do not call dispatch for fire updates. Stay tuned here or on our website for updates.
Posted 2:55 pm 7/18/2026.
Fantastic news about progress on the Cabin Creek Fire, with mapping showing over 50% of the incident being contained.
SET evacuation status remains for the Valley View Pettit evacuation zone tonight, 7/13/26. USFS Fire Managers and the Blaine County Sheriff will continue to evaluate the daily fire evacuation status.
Overnight Activity was minimal and as of 12:30pm, the fire has been mapped to 7 acres. You may see some air resources this morning aiding the crews on the ground, so refrain from using drones in the Alturas Lake area. Remember - if you are flying, they can't be flying!
The Valley View Pettit Zone remains in SET Status for now.Creeping fire behavior continued overnight on the #CabinCreekFire, but no significant changes have been reported. Crews have hiked in to secure the fire perimeter and address any spot fires. Aviation resources will be dropping buckets this morning to reduce heat enough so ground crews can construct firelines. Additional details will be shared as they become available. #FireYear2026 #SawtoothNF #SNRA
As of 8pm on June 12th, the crews have made progress, aided by fixed wing and rotary aircraft dropping air and fire retardant. Currently, there are three crews that will be working through the night on this incident.
What you need to know:
The Valley View Pettit Evacuation Zone remains on SET status throughout the night. If you are in this area north of Alturas Lake, have a go bag ready and inform friends and family of your evacuation plans, should the need arise. As always, if you feel you are in danger, DO NOT WAIT to be told to evacuate.
At this time, avoid the Alturas Lake area - crews are working in this area, and there is still danger present.
DO NOT FLY DRONES in the area. If you are flying drones, the fire crews cannot fly their air resources.
We will stay tuned throughout the night, but will also be reporting on overnight progress tomorrow morning after the 7am briefing.A new fire start has been called in 20 miles south of Stanley, near Alturas Lake. The #CabinCreekFire is currently estimated to stand at 5 acres.
Shout out to the Smiley Creek Rural Fire Department for their initial attack efforts!
The following resources have been ordered in response to this start:
Air attack
2 Large Air Tankers
4 Single Engine Air Tankers
1 Type 2 helicopter
1 Type 1 helicopter
4 engines
2 suppression modules
1 interagency hotshot crew (expected tomorrow)
1 Type 2 initial attack crew (expected tomorrow)
Additional details will be provided as they become available.
#FireYear2026 #SawtoothNF
We know they are pretty and everyone loves explosions - but Fireworks are banned throughout Blaine County to prevent wildfires and protect our people and pets!.
Additionally, fireworks are banned on ALL Federal Lands (USFS, BLM)🎆 Reminder: Fireworks Are Prohibited in Blaine County
As you celebrate Independence Day, please remember that the sale, possession, discharge, and use of all fireworks—including "Safe and Sane" fireworks—are prohibited throughout Blaine County under Blaine County Resolution 2026-13, adopted by the Board of County Commissioners on May 6, 2026.
This ban helps protect our community by reducing the risk of wildfires, protecting homes and natural resources, and keeping our residents, visitors, pets, and first responders safe.
Celebrate responsibly by attending one of the many public Independence Day events happening throughout the Wood River Valley and southern Blaine County.
Thank you for doing your part to keep Blaine County safe this holiday weekend!
Today, we honor the dedicated members of the wildland firefighting community who protect our communities and natural resources from wildfires. Their courage, dedication and sacrifice are remarkable.
THANK YOU to our firefighters, dispatchers, map creators, equipment operators, radio technicians, public information officers and all others who support wildland fire response.
Be Prepared this Fire Season and get your Go Bag ready!
Sophie and Michael walk us through the items you should gather TODAY so that if fires come, you are prepared to be READY, SET, GO!
Save These Bookmarks before Fire Season!
During Fire Season, the Sawtooth Valley Wildland Fire Collaborative (The FireCollab) publishes regular updates during ongoing fire events.
We compile information from dozens of sources to deliver succinct, timely, and accurate information that is aligned with our agency partners. Below is a list of the Agency, Nonprofit, and Fire Collaborative links that we use to generate reports.
We wanted to send these resources to you to help you be better prepared for the upcoming Fire Season in the Sawtooth Valley!
We are geared up for a productive and busy summer, so you need to meet the person that is going to help make it happen! Join us in welcoming Sophie!Say hello to our newest team member, Sophie! Sophie will be serving as the Sawtooth Valley Wildland Fire Collaborative Admin for the summer season. She has a wealth of knowledge to offer our organization, and we are so excited to be working with her this summer. Welcome, Sophie!
While the Summit Creek fire is taking place outside of our Area of Operations, the Sawtooth U.S. Forest Service-Sawtooth National Forest put together a great summary of the different types of attack crews used for fire suppression on a major event - check out this post below to learn a little bit about how they use the right tools for the right job!We have seen some comments and questions on our other posts about the #SummitCreekFire that warrant responses, so we will be posting here on our page for everyone’s benefit. The next topic we’d like to address is use of aviation resources on this fire.
Aviation resources—like air tankers, helicopters, and water-scoopers—are powerful tools, but their primary role is to support the crews working directly on the ground. They do this by slowing fire spread and cooling hot spots.
Fire retardant acts as a barrier to slow a wildfire's forward progress. This vital window may provide the ground crews the time they need to safely engage and build containment lines.
When helicopters or water-scooping planes drop high volumes of water, they can lower fire intensity. This may provide firefighters the opportunity to move in and work directly on the fire line or strengthen indirect confinement features.
While dramatic drops of water and retardant can play an important role in suppression efforts, aircraft alone typically do not extinguish a wildfire. Just like putting out a campfire, completely securing a fire requires a hands-on process. Aviation resources can slow fire progression from above, but ground crews must follow up to secure the areas by constructing containment lines, scraping away embers, and physically feeling for remaining heat to ensure the fire is truly out.
Additionally, aircraft and ground crews can’t always operate in the same space at the same time. When aircraft are overhead, firefighters on the ground often have to pause their work and move out of the area for their safety.
Every fire presents a unique puzzle, and our incident management teams carefully evaluate which tool is best suited for each specific mission. Because aviation assets are both highly specialized, in high demand, and expensive to deploy, we strategically use them when and where they will have the greatest impact, ensuring we balance operational effectiveness with responsible resource management.
#SawtoothNF #MinidokaRD #FireYear2026
Next Friday - join us in Stanley for a FREE Community Forum!
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We have been asked a few times for updates on the Summit Creek fire located within the U.S. Forest Service-Sawtooth National Forest . What many don't realize that, while a major portion of the Sawtooth National Forest is in Central Idaho, there is a portion - the Minidoka Ranger District - that is located along the southern border of Idaho. That is where the Summit Creek fire is located.
Our area of monitoring falls within the SNRA and the areas immediately surrounding it, and, while we are monitoring the Summit Creek Fire, it's location just north of the Utah border falls outside of area of focus.
We had a fantastic chat with Blaine County, City of Sun Valley, and State Farm to discuss the changing circumstances around safeguarding your property and ensuring you retain critical homeowners insurance!
HUGE thanks to The Community Library for hosting us for this important community forum! If you missed it, you can see the full presentation at the link below!
We had a great evening discussing the changing landscape of fire insurance and ways to make your home fire resilient! Thank you to the Mountain Express for an great article about the event and thank you Community Library for hosting us!
Experts discuss changing fire insurance landscape
www.mtexpress.com
Experts convened in Ketchum at The Community Library on Wednesday evening to share fire insurance information and wildfire safety tips with Blaine County residents.FYI for our Sawtooth Valley residents - planned power outages coming up next month!
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