No injuries were reported as a wildfire threatened homes and businesses in North Lewiston Monday night.

Crews from Lewiston, Clarkston, Asotin, and Asotin County responded to the blaze just after 8 p.m. It’s believed the fire started from two smaller grass fires along 28th Street North and grew from there, fueled by hot temperatures and high winds. Flames destroyed several trailers parked in a storage yard, but the fire kept clear of homes. The fire was contained after 9 p.m. and personnel stayed on site to mop up and watch for hot spots.

A preliminary investigation pointed to a downed power line as the cause of the fire, but it will be a day or two until the official cause is determined.

Last night’s thunderstorms also kept fire crews busy elsewhere. An Asotin County crew was mopping up a grass fire at the corner of Valley View Drive and Evans Road late last night. That fire is believed to have started on a ridge top above Evans Road, and winds pushed it along U.S. Highway 12 to Valley View Drive.

High winds apparently also caused trees to down power lines and cause small fires elsewhere in the city of Lewiston. Avista had a number of outages reported throughout the region, including 200 customers in the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley and 120 in Pullman.

U.S. Forest Service personnel are keeping tabs on a couple of fires burning on the Nez Perce National Forest.

On the Red River Ranger District, the holdover Porcupine Fire apparently started south of the Magruder Road near the intersection with Forest Road #285. Since it was reported Monday morning, it has grown to an estimated 800+ acres and jumped the road to the north. The fire is moving generally northeast toward Green Mountain and somewhat easterly toward Poet Creek campground.

Officials are currently processing formal “road closures” of the Magruder Road from the 505 Trail near Mountain Meadows clear to Nez Perce Pass at the Montana border. One of the fires on the east side is also threatening the roadway. In the meantime, by reason of emergency authority, Forest Service personnel are turning people back now and are evacuating people already on the road.

The Porcupine Fire is staffed and four type 2 crews (20-persons each) and five type 6 engines have been ordered. A Type 3 incident commander is currently being briefed at the Red River Ranger District office.

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An electrical problem is being blamed for a fire reported late Monday night at a Lewis-Clark State College apartment.

The Lewiston Fire Department responded at 11 p.m. to a report of smoke at the College Place apartments in the 800 block of Fourth Street. The fire is believed to have started in the attic above a third-floor apartment, and ‘fire stops’ and sprinklers kept the flames confined to a small area.

No injuries were reported, but the building was evacuated for the night.

The commander charged for the deaths of four central Washington firefighters at the Thirtymile Fire in 2001 will be sentenced Wednesday in federal court in Spokane.
Ellreese Daniels faces a maximum of six months in prison after reaching a deal with prosecutors. That deal dropped the charges he faced from manslaughter to two counts of making false statements to investigators.
Investigations by the U.S. Forest Service found that a series of supervisors did not take steps they should have, including selection of a safe escape route, however Daniels was the only one charged. (AP)

Boise is the new home of a memorial honoring Idaho firefighters who have died in the line of duty.
Firefighters from around the state gathered Sunday around the new Idaho Fallen Firefighters Memorial to pay tribute to the 14 names etched in stone, including some who were killed in the 1800s.
Boise Mayor Dave Bieter says the memorial is sacred ground and a reminder to all citizens how firefighters sacrifice every day to protect society. Located on the city’s greenbelt, the memorial is built of stone, brick and bronze, adorned with flagpoles and benches. The centerpiece is a statue depicting two firefighters coming to the aid of another.
Members of the Idaho Fallen Firefighter Memorial Foundation say they have been working to get the memorial built for more than a decade. (AP)

Idaho State University plans to offer an online degree this fall designed to prepare students for careers in fire management.
The 2-year degree will be the first of its kind offered by a public university in Idaho, according to the school’s Institute of Emergency Management in Boise. Institute director Michael Mikitish says no other public university in the state currently offers an associate’s degree in fire services administration.
The online course has been approved by the federal National Fire Academy and classes begin on Monday. The university plans to offer a 4-year degree in fire services administration in 2009. (AP)

Due to extremely dry conditions, the Asotin County Fire Marshal has placed a county-wide emergency ban on all campfires and recreational fires. Approved propane and charcoal barbeques are still allowed. The ban does not include the areas within Chief Timothy State Park. The ban takes effect Saturday morning August 16 at 8am PDT.

Fire crews battling the 2,900 acre Snow Hole Wildfire burning 12 miles southwest of Cottonwood in the Salmon River drainage have made considerable gains on the lightning-caused blaze. Fire Information Officer Jennifer Costich says progress has been so positive that fire managers are re-evaluating their strategic plan.

Fire Information Officer Jennifer Costich comments

The fire is still listed as 50% contained, but fire managers believe a higher, more accurate containment number is possible after a mapping update is finished later today or tonight. Officials attribute much of the progress made on the fire to the more than 500 personnel assigned to the blaze. Unlike last summer when several major fires were burning in the region, resources were stretched to razor thin levels.

This fire season has seen fewer big fires, and as a result more resources, including more Type-1 and Type-2 fire crews have been available.