UPDATE: Crews contain range fire

Fire crews from the King Hill and the Bureau of Land Management have contained a range fire southeast of Mountain Home.

The fire started Wednesday morning near the interstate close to milepost 109 and headed southeast toward the Hammett exit at milepost 112.

According to BLM spokesman Nick Yturri, the fire consumed approximately 850 acres of land north of the interstate by the time it was contained around 8 p.m. Wednesday. Although strong winds pushed the fire into the median of the interstate, crews were able to keep it from spreading to the south.

One outbuilding was destroyed in the blaze, Yturri said.

As of noon Thursday, the BLM were mopping up hot spots while containing a perimeter around the blaze but had not declared it fully extinguished. Responding fire crews included members of the King Hill Rural Fire Department and 40 members from the BLM. A total of 12 fire fighting vehicles, including nine engines and two water tenders were used to battle the range fire.

A section of the interstate was temporarily blocked Wednesday afternoon due to smoke spreading across the highway. At one point, the Idaho Transportation Department issued an advisory warning drivers heading eastbound on the interstate to remain alert for emergency vehicles heading to the scene.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.