07/01/08

Monday afternoon Hagerman fire crews responded to a fire just east of Hagerman that came very close to some structures.

Six fire agencies converged on the Hagerman valley as a fire burned along Billingsly Creek Canyon.

Hagerman Fire Chief Tim Peterson said, "I think we received notification somewhere around 4:30."

And fire fighters battled the blaze long into the night after a control burn jumped out of control Monday evening,

The Hagerman Fire Department almost regained control of the renegade fire when the weather added another challenge to the problem.

(Peterson): "We did catch the edge of a few thunder storms, and we had some winds come in and we just about had it controlled when the winds and it jumped our containment line and we lost one flank."

Hagerman Fire Chief Tim Peterson sent out a call for additional help at around 7:30. Wendell, Gooding, Buhl, Jerome, Bliss and Twin Falls BLM answered the call. The fire made its way along the canyon, as area residence watched as it crawled closer and closer to their property.

Local Fish Farmer David Huff said, "We actually own about 20 acres on the other side of the creek."

THE FIRE CAME VERY CLOSE TO SOME STRUCTURES.

(Petterson): "we did have several threatened, we probably had at least 3 or 4 structures threatened at one time."

Chief Peterson says not one building was touched by the flames.

Firefighters worked to keep the blaze on the east side of Billingsly Creek to keep it away from homes on the other side. The area made it difficult to keep ahead of the fire.

(Huff):"It’s totally overgrown with Russian olive its very rocky uneven terrain. Very limited access."

An ember made it across the creek and sparked a spot which fire fighters where able to quickly extinguish.