Cleaning up the debris and ash

BOISE -- The cleanup process at the southeast Boise fire has been underway since just after the fire was extinguished.

The Ada County Highway District is pitching in by sweeping the streets and unclogging storm drains filled with ash and debris.

It’s not just a section of Sweetwater Drive being cleaned, it's the entire neighborhood that needs it because of all the ash left behind.

ACHD did two jobs today. They swept the sidewalks and streets, but also vacuumed out the storm drains.

They took out ash, rock and twigs -- anything that could cause a block in the storm drain and cause it to flood if a rainstorm moved though.

They also did this because they didn't want contaminants getting into the storm drain. That’s also why they cleaned the streets with eight street sweepers.

This isn't the first time the ACHD had been in the neighborhood.

ACHD maintenance superintendent Randy Noble said they were here Monday night with five water trucks standing by in case the fire department needed them.

"We assist with whatever the fire department needs, support agency for the fire department with whatever they need usually,” said Noble.

Noble says they had 17,000 gallons of water for firefighters in case they ran out.  They didn’t want them to rely on fire hydrants to pump water into the field and down the hill where the fire burned.

Some people at the scene today could not believe the amount of damage.  Homeowners are continuing to sift through the rubble for personal belongings before proceeding with the demolition and construction.  Many of them are being put up at the Grove Hotel in Boise and come out to their homes on a daily basis.