Lightning sparked a fire outside Ironside earlier this month, burning close to 100 acres. (ANGELINA KATSANIS/The Enterprise)
VALE – The Vale District of the Bureau of Land Management responded to two lightning-caused wildfires late Tuesday that have since been contained.
The Dug Out Fire, located two miles south of Juntura, began around 7 p.m. Tuesday and burned 17 acres before being contained just before midnight. BLM crews and volunteers with the Juntura Rangeland Fire Protection Association handled the fire.
The fire did no damage to buildings or private property but was burning in a sage-grouse conservation area. Al Crouch, Vale District BLM fire mitigation specialist, wrote in an email Wednesday morning that the fire is expected to be controlled later Wednesday.
The Juniper Basin fire, the second fire sparked Tuesday by lightning, burned only a single juniper tree. The fire was located at Black Butte, about 10 miles south of Juntura.
While the Vale District BLM was able to keep Tuesday’s wildfires at bay, Crouch said that more lightning Wednesday could be cause for concern.
“There is a chance of thunderstorms again today that are expected to impact the Vale district,” said Crouch.
The National Weather Service forecast Wednesday morning reported that the weather system that could generate thunderstorms had shifted into Idaho.
News tip? Contact reporter Joey Cappelletti at [email protected] or 616-610-3093.
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