Idaho, 1997

Wildfire in Idaho, August 20, 1997

August 20, 1997 · NWS BOI · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

Afternoon and evening thunderstorms over southwest Idaho sparked 16 small wildfires. The largest burned about 325 acres of range land near Emmett.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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  • Floods
  • Wind
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  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS BOI wrote it up.

Afternoon and evening thunderstorms over southwest Idaho sparked 16 small wildfires. The largest burned about 325 acres of range land near Emmett. Another significant fire was started southwest of Bliss, Idaho. All of the fires were brought under control by late evening.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.

Wildfire, Gem

When
August 20, 3:00 PM MST to 11:59 PM MST
Where
Gem County, Emmett
Coordinates
44.062, -116.397 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wildfire, Gooding

When
August 20, 3:00 PM MST to 11:59 PM MST
Where
Gooding County, 2 mi SW of Bliss
Coordinates
42.971, -114.811 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Wildfire
A fire burning in wildland vegetation, with its acreage and damage where known.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Idaho in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Idaho, August 1997

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5614269, 5614270.