More than 1,400 firefighters are battling a blaze in southwest Idaho that has grown to 66 square miles and destroyed a state-operated backcountry structure.
Officials say the fire expanded by about 5 square miles Tuesday in rugged terrain and was nearly 30 percent contained. It's not expected to be fully contained until mid-September.
Crews plan to build fire lines and use previous wildfire burn scars to try to prevent the fire from moving farther north.
The $60,000 yurt that burned is a round, tent-like structure with a dome roof and plastic skin.
The Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation has five other yurts it manages as part of an agreement with the Boise National Forest, and several remain threatened.
Here is the latest update on the status of the yurts as of Tuesday afternoon:
- Banner Yurt is still intact and not affected by the fire.
- Skyline Yurt is still intact. It had previously been reported lost but that's not the case.
- Whispering Pines/Gold Fork Yurt has been completely destroyed. An outhouse was also destroyed.
- Stargaze Yurt is still intact but slightly scorched. The outhouse has been destroyed.
- Elk Horn Yurt - status unknown.
- Rocky Ridge Yurt - status unknown.
