MISSOULA - A wildfire burning south of Salmon, Idaho has grown from 9,660 acres to 11,032 acres as of Wednesday.
The Hayden Fire is located in the Lemhi Range, 18 miles west of Leadore, Idaho.
The blaze is burning in steep and difficult terrain with spruce and subalpine fir containing dead and downed trees.
Fire managers report a combination of low afternoon humidity and strong southwest winds will create critical fire weather conditions on Wednesday and Thursday.
The Lemhi County Sheriff’s Department — in coordination with the Salmon-Challis National Forest and Great Basin Team 7 — has pre-identified evacuation zones.
A community meeting to discuss the Hayden Fire is planned for Thursday, July 27, 2023, at 6 p.m. in Salmon at the Idaho Fish and Game Office
The fire was first detected on July 19, 2023, and remains 0% contained. There are 537 people assigned to the fire.
Road and trail closures remain in effect in the area of the Hayden Fire.
The cause of the fire has yet to be determined.
