UPDATE:
FORT HALL, Idaho (KIFI) — The Garden Creek Fire, which began around 12:30 PM this afternoon, spread to an estimated 1,000 acres. Despite this aggressive expansion earlier Tuesday afternoon, Fort Hall authorities confirmed this evening that improved fire conditions mean residents along Presto Road, Little Indian Canal Road, and Wolverine Road can safely return home, and evacuation orders have been lifted.
Emergency Response and Evacuations Underway
In response to wildfire, authorities in Fort Hall confirmed that nine different agencies are currently on scene battling the blaze, with additional resources en route to bolster their efforts to contain it. Fort Hall Fire Chief Eric King detailed the aerial assault, stating, “We have several large air tankers, some smaller tankers and helicopters involved in our suppression efforts.”
The fire’s rapid spread triggered multiple evacuations earlier Tuesday afternoon. Hundreds of campers at the LDS Church’s Pasa-La-Coma recreation camp in the Wolverine Creek area were forced to evacuate, as were residents living along Presto Road. The Bingham County Sheriff’s Office directed the camp’s evacuees to the Iona Stake Center. Notably, the youth group at the camp was in the midst of a Pioneer Trek, a historical re-enactment of the Mormon pioneers’ arduous journey to the Salt Lake Valley.
“True Pioneer Spirit” – Teton Stage Lines to the Rescue
Teton Stage Lines, a local bus company, played a crucial role in the evacuation, dispatching 12 buses to shuttle the campers out of harm’s way. Nathan Harrington, Operations Manager for Teton Stage Lines, explained, “They couldn’t get ahold of their original carrier that brought them up there. Sheriff Gardner had reached out to us and said, could you do this? And how quick could you do it? And, we said, we can do it right away.”
Harrington expressed pride in his team’s swift response, noting, “We’ve got the people and the capability to do these kinds of things… It was all about getting them out quick and fast as we could.”
All 400 youth and their leaders were safely evacuated. Despite the offer from Teton Stage Lines to transport them back to Utah, the group, demonstrating true pioneer spirit, intends to carry on.
UPDATE:
Four hundred campers at an LDS Girls Camp north of the Blackfoot river are currently being evacuated due to the Garden Creek Fire actively burning over 100 acres in Bingham County. The evacuation was ordered by the Bingham County Sheriff’s Office, according to Teton Stage Lines, the bus company transporting the youths.
Their buses left around 5 p.m. and they are expected to arrive at Thunder Ridge High School in Idaho Falls by 7.
UPDATE:
FORT HALL, Idaho (KIFI) — The Garden Creek (Lincoln Creek) Fire on the Fort Hall Reservation near Blackfoot has rapidly grown to over 100 acres, propelled by 50 mph winds, according to the Fort Hall Fire Department.
Crews are asking all residents on Presto Road and Little Indian Canal Road to be prepared for a potential evacuation.
The National Weather Service (NWS) out of Pocatello is assisting fire officials. The NWS reported on Facebook that “strong outflow winds could lead to erratic conditions along the fire lines,” making the situation unpredictable.
The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes will host a news update tonight, Tuesday, July 1, 2025, at 6:30 PM MDT, to provide critical information regarding the Fort Hall Fire.
You can watch the live update on Facebook by clicking HERE.
ORIGINAL:
BLACKFOOT, Idaho (KIFI) — The vegetation fire is reportedly 1.7 miles south of Little Indian Road and Garden Creek Road east of the city, according to the non-profit wildfire mapping organization Watch Duty. Watch Duty estimates the fire is at 100 acres.
The incident commander for the fire, Eric King, is advising occupants who reside on Presto Road in Fort Hall to evacuate immediately. They also expect high winds at 50 MPH to impact the fire.
Authorities in neighboring Bannock County have issued a severe thunderstorm warning from the National Weather Service. Doppler radar tracked a strong thunderstorm moving northeast, creating hazardous conditions, including gusty winds of up to 50 to 55 mph. The warning will last until 3 PM, impacting
This is a developing story. Local News 8 is working to get more information at this time. We’ll update this story with new information from the scene as the situation unfolds.
