Horse Flat Wildfire contained at 706 acres

Fire crews responded Monday afternoon, July 13, to a grass fire reported about one mile northeast of Highway 71 on Horse Flat Road outside Cambridge. The call came into Washington County Dispatch shortly before 4 p.m.

Initially estimated at one acre, the fire quickly grew. By 4:08 p.m., it had expanded to roughly 10 acres, prompting dispatch of a tender and brush truck from Midvale. With a substation and major power lines nearby, Idaho Power was notified and confirmed its response.

The fire, located on Bureau of Land Management ground, drew resources from the Payette National Forest out of Council at 4:25 p.m., along with additional brush trucks from Indian Valley and Weiser.

By 5:30 p.m., the blaze was believed to have reached 300 acres, and residents along Horse Flat Road, Advent Gulch, Rush Creek, Pine Creek Estates, and the area near Highway 71 were advised to prepare for evacuation. An hour later, the burn area was corrected to 80 acres, and by 8 p.m. evacuation orders were lifted. Local crews were released while Forest Service personnel remained overnight to ensure containment lines held.

According to a Payette National Forest report, the response included two scoopers, two helicopters, air attack and helitack teams, multiple dozers and engines, one wildland fire module, and county and rural resources. By 11 a.m. Wednesday, containment had reached 90 percent, and was reported fully contained by 5:30 p.m. The fire was mapped at 706 acres with its cause undetermined. The burned perimeter measured just under six miles.