Wildfire in Sawtooth-stanley Basin, Idaho

The Wapiti fire began July 24th from lightning strikes near Grandjean in the Boise National Forest for eventually spread into the Sawtooth and Salmon Challis National Forests in the latter part of August and continued burning through September in the Sawthooths and Salmon Challis. Idaho State Highway 21 was closed from Stanley to Lowman in late August and remain closed unto September 18th. The Idaho Transportation Board approved 2 million dollars of highway repair for Highway 21 due to several miles of guardrail replacement as well as sign replacement and damaged pavement. The fire burned over 129,000 acres. Stanley schools were closed the first 7 days of classes in the 2024 school year due to extreme air quality issues from wildfire smoke.

The Wapiti fire began July 24th from lightning strikes near Grandjean in the Boise National Forest for eventually spread into the Sawtooth and Salmon Challis National Forests in the latter part of August and continued burning through September in the Sawthooths and Salmon Challis. Idaho State Highway 21 was closed from Stanley to Lowman in late August and remain closed unto September 18th. The Idaho Transportation Board approved 2 million dollars of highway repair for Highway 21 due to several miles of guardrail replacement as well as sign replacement and damaged pavement. The fire burned over 129,000 acres. Stanley schools were closed the first 7 days of classes in the 2024 school year due to extreme air quality issues from wildfire smoke.