JULIAETTA, ID—The Gwen Fire and River Fire are combined in one incident called the Gwen Fire, and the Idaho Department of Lands says it grew significantly overnight to at least 20,000 acres. Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 3 (RMCIMT 3) is planned to be in-briefed on the fires tomorrow evening. The Idaho Department of Lands is coordinating with partners to provide the best information possible during this evolving incident.
Incident overview from IDL:
Multiple fires spread northeast of Lewiston, Idaho after a lightning event Wednesday, July 24. Multiple structures were lost and the entire town of Juliaetta evacuated. There was an all-hands on deck wildfire response as the heat of the day/wind created active fire conditions. Resources include ground crews, engines, dozers, water scoopers, air tankers, and helicopters.
Evacuation information per Latah County Valley County Sheriff’s Office:
The city of Juliaetta is still in a level 3 evacuation zone and it is not advised for residents to return. At this point, no structures in Juliaetta have been affected.
Evacuation locations
Relief sites are at the Latah County Fair and Events Center. The barns are open for stalling animals, and the East Field (Carnival Area) is open for RV, Trailers, and Vehicles. Other centers are the Troy High School and the LDS Church off of Big Meadow Road.
The Gwen Fire is located south of Juliaetta Idaho, about 30 miles outside Lewiston near State Highway 3 in Latah County. The River Fire is located on the east end of Arrow Highline Road, west of the town of Myrtle in Latah County along the Clearwater River.
Other fires in the area
Cherry Fire
Rock Creek
Burnt Creek Fire
Steelhead Inn Fire
Road Closures via Idaho State Police
These closures will be in place until further notice: US12 from the US95 interchange to Milepost 39. And SH3 from the US12 interchange to milepost 10. In addition, Gifford Reubens Road is closed from US12 towards US95.
