Huge Idaho Wildfire Nearly Half Contained

KETCHUM, Idaho (AP) _ An enormous wildfire threatening the Sun Valley ski resort was nearly half contained Wednesday, but authorities said they didn't know when thousands of evacuees could return to

Wednesday, August 29th 2007, 1:19 pm

By: News On 6

KETCHUM, Idaho (AP) _ An enormous wildfire threatening the Sun Valley ski resort was nearly half contained Wednesday, but authorities said they didn't know when thousands of evacuees could return to the area.

Fire managers said the wind from thunderstorms expected to hit the area later this week could increase fire activity, so fire crews were struggling to build and reinforce fire lines.

The blaze in central Idaho had blackened about 69 square miles. No buildings have been damaged, but on Tuesday gusty wind pushed flames close to the borders of the Sun Valley Resort ski area. About 2,000 homes have been evacuated.

``The good news is fire crews are successfully holding their own at the top,'' Ketchum Mayor Randy Hall said Tuesday as he urged a few holdouts in the Warm Springs neighborhood to obey an evacuation order. ``Those people who refuse to leave their homes are jeopardizing their own safety, as well as the firefighters'.''

The fire was started by lightning on Aug. 17.

About 1,640 firefighters were battling the blaze, using 15 helicopters, seven bulldozers and 102 engines. So far, no structures have been damaged by the fire.

The 510-room Sun Valley Resort was not evacuated. Accommodations were roughly 90 percent full, although some guests had canceled because of the fire, said Jack Sibbach, a spokesman for the Sun Valley Co.