EAGLE, Idaho -- A brush fire near Eagle threatened homes and blocked traffic Saturday afternoon.
The Hollow Fire, which consumed 900 acres, started around 4 p.m.
Brie Bermudez-Koch with the Bureau of Land Management said that a vehicle dragging the tailgate of a trailer started the fire. She said that each time the trailer gate struck the ground, it caused sparks, which eventually led to the brush fire.
The Boise Bureau of Land Management said that homes and outbuildings were threatened near Chaparral Road. Ada County Police Officers warned about 515 homes of the danger through an automated call, letting them know to be prepared should they need to leave the area quickly. That threat has since been neutralized. No home evacuations were needed, but structure protection was called to numerous locations along the fire line. One outbuilding was destroyed.
The fire also blocked Highway 16 in both directions for over two hours. The highway has since been reopened.
The BLM reported that forward progression of the fire was stopped around 7:20 p.m. The fire was contained around midnight Sunday, with control coming Sunday night.
The driver of the vehicle that started the fire has been identified, but has not been cited at this time.
