Single Publication

Structures Lost at Allison Ranch and Yellow Pine Ranch during a Firestorm

Elkhorn Fire Information - InciWeb the Incident Information System (nwcg.gov)

McCall, Idaho – August 2, 2023:  In the early afternoon of July 30, 2023, the Elkhorn Fire began taking what would be by the end of the day, a 20,000-acre run of extreme fire behavior up the Salmon River.  In the path of the fire were Allison Ranch and Yellow Pine Ranch.  Unfortunately, seven structures at Allison Ranch and one at Yellow Pine Ranch were a complete loss, and another partially damaged at Yellow Pine Ranch.

Shortly after the morning inversion cleared, a notable increase in fire behavior took place on the south side of the river, and a substantial smoke column developed.  Within minutes, the fire had crossed the river in the area of Allison Ranch where firefighters acted by using the sprinklers, pumps, and hose lays already in place at the ranch in an effort to protect the structures.  Soon, another report of the fire having crossed the river at Yellowpine Ranch came in.  Within the next hour, the smoke column collapsed.  Firefighters who were at Allison Ranch estimated 50, then 60 and even as high as 90 miles per hour wind blowing from all directions with large burning pieces of debris flying through the air.  Firefighters remained on site to provided structure protection as long as they could but had to evacuate the area due in extreme fire behavior and burn intensity.  Structure protection took place at Yellow Pine Ranch as well that helped minimize the damage.

What was different this time?  Fire and structure protection has taken place at ranches along the river many times in previous years.  This time was the perfectly wrong alignment of fuels, terrain and weather that equated to the significant fire behavior that took place.  While the loss of the structures is unfortunate, we are thankful that all firefighters and members of the public that were with them were quickly accounted for.

The Payette National Forest has a public wildfire information hotline for fire information – 208-634-0820. Visit Inciweb for information on large wildfires at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov , and follow the Payette National Forest on Twitter at @PayetteForest, and on Facebook at U.S. Forest Service – Payette National Forest.

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