2024 Fire Information
There were 38 wildland fire starts on the Sawtooth National Forest in 2024. Additionally, there were two fires – one that started on the Boise National Forest and one that started on State of Idaho land – that burned onto our forest. Those named incidents are listed below. Fires are listed in reverse date order because that is how they are recorded during the fire season.
Definitions
We use the following definitions when referring to cause:
- Undetermined: Fire investigators have not yet confirmed the cause of the fire.
- Lightning: Fire investigators have determined that lightning from a storm cell started the fire.
- Human-caused: Fire investigators have determined that, whether intentional or not, the fire was started by a person.
- Initial Attack: The fire has been reported and crews are responding
- Contained: The fire is contained within a specific area, but it is not controlled or extinguished.
- Controlled: Firefighters have removed any unburnt fuel and cooled down all hot spots adjacent to control lines to the point that they can reasonably be expected to hold.
- Out: A fire is considered “out” when no hot spots are detected within containment lines for at least 48 hours.
- Burned Area Emergency Response: Emergency stabilization takes place to prevent further damage to life, property or natural resources on Forest Service lands. This work begins before the fire is out and may continue for up to a year. Longer-term rehabilitation efforts begin after the fire is out and continue for several years. Rehabilitation focuses on the lands unlikely to recover naturally from wildland fire damage.
Named Incidents in 2024
- Started: Oct. 26, 2024
- Location: Fairfield Ranger District, 25 northwest of Fairfield
- Cause: Human-caused
- Size: .1 acre
- Status: Controlled
- Started: Oct. 25, 2024
- Location: Ketchum Ranger District, 11 miles north of Ketchum
- Cause: Human-caused
- Size: .01 acre
- Status: Out
- Started: Oct. 23, 2024
- Location: Sawtooth National Recreation Area, 17 Miles north-northwest of Ketchum
- Cause: Human-caused
- Size: .5 acre
- Status: Out
- Started: Oct. 20, 2024
- Location: Fairfield Ranger District
- Cause: Human-caused
- Size: .5 acre
- Status: Controlled
- Started: Oct. 19, 2024
- Location: Fairfield Ranger District
- Cause: Human-caused
- Size: 2.5 acres
- Status: Controlled
- Started: Oct. 13, 2024
- Location: Sawtooth National Recreation Area, 5 Miles northeast of Atlanta
- Cause: Undetermined
- Size: .1 acres
- Status: Controlled
- Started: Oct. 6, 2024
- Location: Minidoka Ranger District, 5 miles south of Albion
- Cause: To be determined
- Size: .01 acre
- Status: Out
- Started: Oct. 5, 2024
- Location: Fairfield Ranger District, 11 miles north of Fairfield
- Cause: To be determined
- Size: 5.4 acres
- Status: Contained
- Started: Oct. 1, 2024
- Location: Sawtooth National Recreation Area, 19 Miles southeast of Stanley
- Cause: To be determined
- Size: .1 acre
- Status: Out
- Started: Sep. 23, 2024
- Location: Minidoka Ranger District, 8 miles southwest of Albion
- Cause: Lightning
- Size: 1.5 acres
- Status: Out
- Started: Sep. 21, 2024
- Location: Minidoka Ranger District, 12 miles southeast of Oakley, near Cache Peak
- Cause: Lightning
- Size: .1 acres
- Status: Out
- Started: Sep. 19, 2024
- Location: Fairfield Ranger District, 2 miles northeast of Featherville
- Cause: Under investigation
- Size: .25 acres
- Status: Controlled
- Started: Sep. 19, 2024
- Location: Fairfield Ranger District, 1 mile northeast of Featherville
- Cause: Under investigation
- Size: .5 acres
- Status: Controlled
- Started: Sep. 10, 2024
- Location: Minidoka Ranger District, 7 miles southwest of Albion
- Cause: Lightning
- Size: .1 acres
- Status: Out
- Started: Sep. 9, 2024
- Location: Minidoka Ranger District, 25 miles south of Hansen
- Cause: Lightning
- Size: .1 acres
- Status: Out
- Started: Sep. 9, 2024
- Location: Sawtooth National Recreation Area, 4 Miles northeast of Atlanta
- Cause: Lightning
- Size: 82 acres
- Status: Controlled
- Started: Sep. 7, 2024
- Location: Sawtooth National Recreation Area, 11 Miles northeast of Smiley Creek
- Cause: Lightning
- Size: 3,020 acres
- Status: Contained
- Started: Sep. 5, 2024
- Location: Minidoka Ranger District (41°57'46.8"N 113°30'14.4"W)
- Cause: Lightning
- Size: .2 acres
- Status: Controlled
- Started: Sep. 3, 2024
- Location: Fairfield Ranger District (43°39'37.2"N 115°04'10.8"W)
- Cause: Lightning
- Size: .1 acres
- Status: Out
- Started: Sep. 3, 2024
- Location: Fairfield Ranger District, 29 miles north of Fairfield
- Cause: Lightning
- Size: .1 acres
- Status: Out
- Started: Sep. 2, 2024
- Location: Started on State of Idaho lands, but now burning on the Fairfield Ranger District
- Cause: Lightning
- Size: 6,521 acres
- Status: Burned Area Emergency Response
- Started: Sep. 2, 2024
- Location: Fairfield Ranger District (43°38'22.0"N 114°45'06.0"W)
- Cause: Lightning
- Size: .83 acre
- Status: Out
- Started: Sep. 2, 2024
- Location: Fairfield Ranger District, (43°36'57.0"N 114°48'05.4"W)
- Cause: Lightning
- Size: .1 acre
- Status: Out
- Started: Sep. 2, 2024
- Location: Fairfield Ranger District, 13 miles northwest of Fairfield
- Cause: Lightning
- Size: .5 acre
- Status: Controlled
- Started: July 29, 2024
- Location: Sawtooth National Recreation Area, 14 miles west of Clayton
- Cause: Under investigation
- Size: 25 acres
- Status: Out
- Started: July 29, 2024
- Location: Sawtooth National Recreation Area, 8 miles southwest of Stanley
- Cause: Under investigation
- Size: .5 acre
- Status: Out
- Started: July 24, 2024
- Location: 2 miles southwest of Grandjean, Idaho, on the Boise National Forest; steep terrain, difficult access and unfavorable weather conditions challenged firefighters and pushed the fire onto the Sawtooth National Recreation Area and into the Sawtooth Wilderness the week of Aug. 19
- Cause: Lightning
- Size: 129,063 acres
- Status: Burned Area Emergency Response
- Started: July 23, 2024
- Location: Minidoka Ranger District, Raft River Division (41.875833, -113.641)
- Cause: Lightning
- Size: 358 acres
- Status: Controlled
- Started: July 23, 2024
- Location: Fairfield Ranger District, 9 miles east of Atlanta
- Cause: Lightning
- Size: .1 acre
- Status: Out
- Started: July 21, 2024
- Location: Minidoka Ranger District, 8 miles southwest of Albion near Lake Cleveland
- Cause: Under investigation
- Size: .1 acre
- Status: Controlled
- Started: July 20, 2024
- Location: Minidoka Ranger District, 18 miles southwest of Oakley
- Cause: Lightning
- Size: 8.6 acres
- Status: Controlled
- Started: July 18, 2024
- Location: Minidoka Ranger District, 16 miles southwest of Oakley
- Cause: Lightning
- Size: .1 acre
- Status: Out
- Started: July 18, 2024
- Location: Minidoka Ranger District, 9 miles northwest of Oakley
- Cause: Lightning
- Size: 16.7 acres
- Status: Out
- Started: July 17, 2024
- Location: Minidoka Ranger District, 19 miles south of Twin Falls near Horse Basin
- Cause: Lightning
- Size: .25 acre
- Status: Controlled
- Started: July 13, 2024
- Location: Sawtooth National Recreation Area, 14 miles northwest of Ketchum near Galena Lodge
- Cause: Under investigation
- Size: .1 acre
- Status: Controlled
- Started: July 11, 2024
- Location: Sawtooth National Recreation Area, 7 miles south of Stanley
- Cause: Human-caused
- Size: 2,595 acreas
- Status: Contained
- Started: July 3, 2024
- Location: Sawtooth National Recreation Area, 4 miles south of Stanley
- Cause: Under investigation
- Size: .1 acre
- Status: Out
- Started: July 3, 2024
- Location: Sawtooth National Recreation Area, 15 miles east of Stanley
- Cause: Under investigation
- Size: .25 acre
- Status: Out
- Started: May 14, 2024
- Location: Fairfield Ranger District, 2 miles west of Fleck Summit
- Cause: Lightning
- Size: .1 acre
- Status: Out
- Started: April 22, 2024
- Location: Fairfield Ranger District, 19 miles northwest of Fairfield, near Baumgartner Campground
- Cause: Under investigation
- Size: 1 acre
- Status: Controlled