TWIN FALLS, Idaho -- Crews spent Thursady afternoon battling a large brush fire that that burned i the Snake River Canyon north of Twin Falls. The fire is on the south side of the river.
Lori Stewart with the Twin Falls County Sheriff's Office says as of 9 p.m., the fire is out. The fire started near Auger Falls in the canyon.
Twin Falls City dispatch says they still have crews searching for hot spots but they also tell KTVB News that as of 9 p.m. the fire has been extinguished.
Around 20 homes along the canyon rim on Kay and Edwards drives were considered for evacuation, but Stewart says the actual number evacuated was probably less than a dozen.
About 40 to 50 firefighters from Twin Falls, Jerome and the Bureau of Land Management were battling on the ground and in the air. The fire was reported just before 3 p.m. and burned along the canyon wall a few miles west of the Perrine Bridge.
BLM fire information officer Brock Astle says around 1,000 acres have been charred so far. The fire burned on private land and the federal agency is assisting with four engines, two air tankers, a helicopter and air attack, which coordinates the aerial firefighting effort.
"Because the fire is in the canyon, what makes it particulary unique because our engines become somewhat insignificant as we have to have hand crews and have to do hose lays to reach up into the high points of the canyon wall. So that kinda changes our tactic," Astle said.
Astle says winds hampered the firefighting efforts.
Officials say the preliminary investigation shows the fire may have ignited after someone tossed a burning cigarette butt to the ground.
