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UPDATE: Fire in Elmore County Contained, Evacuation Order Lifted

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By Paul Johnson

UPDATE 7/10/12 8:25 AM: Southern/Western Idaho (KMVT-TV) - The brush fire in Elmore County, which forced Interstate 84 to shut down last night, has been contained.

BLM officials say the Benwalk Fire spanned about 12-thousand acres, just north of I-84 between Mountain Home and Glenns Ferry.

Officials say a shift in wind caused the fire to move away from businesses being threatened.

Crews are still working to put out the entire fire, but they do not expect it to spread any further.

No damages or injuries have been reported.

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Southern/Western Idaho (KMVT-TV) - A brush fire in Elmore County is burning close to Interstate 84 and forced the road to be shut down Monday evening.

The Bureau of Land Management says the Benwalk fire is about 12,000 acres in size, and burning north of I-84 between Mountain Home and Glenns Ferry.

The road is closed in both directions near exit 99 while crews battle the blaze.

BLM says it is responding to eleven new fires in the Boise district caused by the recent storms, four of which have already been controlled.

Officials say all the fires were caused by lightning.

BLM says the fire is threatening structures north of the interstate near exit 95 in Mountain Home and they have crews in place to help protect them. As a precaution, businesses in the area have been evacuated.

Current fires that BLM is responding to

Flint Fire - About 250 acres southeast of Jordan Valley, Oregon in the Owyhee Mountains

Chimney Fire - About 50 acres west of Triangle, Idaho in the Owyhee Mountains

Big B Fire - Less than an acre southeast of Jordan Valley, Oregon

South Indian Fire - About 5000 acres east of Bruneau. This fire forced the evacuation of Bruneau Dunes State Park on Monday.

Jacks Fire - Unknown size on the south edge of Little Jacks Creek Wilderness

Benwalk Fire - About 1000 acres between Mountain Home and Glenns Ferry. Forced the closure of Interstate 84 Monday evening near exit 99.

MM43 Highway 78 Fire - About 400 acres east of Oreana.

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