Huge wildfire forces evacuations; training range threatened

Close to 500 wildland firefighters in southwest Idaho continue struggling to contain a huge wildfire burning erratically in south Owyhee County and northern Nevada.

Two fires, the Rowland and Elk Mountain fires have burned together over the last several days and are now known as the Murphy Complex Fire; by Sunday the fire had torched about 400,000 acres of mostly brush and juniper in sparsely populated areas.

Residents started evacuating the areas of Jarbridge, Nev. and Murphy Hot Springs last Wednesday and an estimated 1,300 homes are without electricity in the area.

The fire is expected to continue growing to the north and northeast, approaching the Juniper Butte and Saylor Creek training ranges used by the Air Force.

MHAFB Public Affairs reported that some radio emitters at the ranges were threatened on Sunday but were not damaged.

The Air Force contracts with a private contractor to provide fire protection services for the training ranges, according to a Base spokesperson.

With the fire only about 10 percent contained, the BLM is allocating all available resources to support firefighting efforts in the area with 12 hand crews, 28 engines and four helicopters currently on scene.

The public is advised to stay away from Salmon Falls Reservoir, Roseworth Reservoir, and the Three Creek area.