Idaho, 2018Wildfire in Idaho, September 12 to 20, 2018
September 12 to 20, 2018 · NWS PIH · 1 event in 1 county or zone
The Indian Butte wildfire began September 12th at around 6 pm MDT and burned 13,072 acres in Clark County. It began on Indian Creek Road 9 miles northwest of Dubois and was human caused.
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- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
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.
The Indian Butte wildfire began September 12th at around 6 pm MDT and burned 13,072 acres in Clark County. It began on Indian Creek Road 9 miles northwest of Dubois and was human caused. Dry Creek road and a portion of Pleasant valley Road were closed. Campers were evacuated on the 13th in the Dry Creek and Pleasant Valley area. One home was evacuated on the 12th but did not get damaged. The fire burned in grass, brush and timber. The fire was considered 100 percent contained on September 20th.
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Pocatello, ID wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 12, 1:10 PM MST, 4 hours 9 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Sep 12, 1:10 PM MST, 4 hours 9 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Pocatello ID
210 PM MDT Wed Sep 12 2018
.DISCUSSION...A low pressure system continues to work through
Washington this afternoon. We could still see an isolated shower
or thunderstorm across portions of the central Idaho mountains as
we head into the evening. The best chance for rain remains after
midnight lingering into Thursday morning as a weak front
pinwheeling around the low moves through central and east Idaho.
We expect a band of light rain showers to develop across the
central Idaho mountains and Snake Plain. Rainfall totals look
light, generally less than a tenth of an inch. Could see an
isolated thunderstorm across the central Idaho mountains, perhaps
even near Island Park, as the low begins to pull away from the
region on Thursday. Friday continues to look dry. However the
forecast for Saturday has some questions in it as another low
pressure system moves into Washington and drives another front
through our area Saturday afternoon and evening. This is a
relatively new development in the models and there seems to be
lots of questions regarding strength of this front and amount of
moisture available. For now, kept forecast for Saturday afternoon
and night dry, but may need to add in some showers or
thunderstorms if models become more consistent. After that, the
forecast looks quiet with maybe another dry, weak system arriving
around midweek.
Valle
&&
.AVIATION...Expect continued VFR conditions through Thursday with
afternoon sustained winds of 10 to 15 mph at all sites with gusts in
the 20s at PIH and IDA on Thursday. Do not think any showers will
affect TAF sites but if the do SUN and DIJ most likely overnight
into Thursday.
GK
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...Trend of breezy conditions will continue Thursday
with strongest winds expected in zone 410 but humidity too high for
any highlights. A wave will bring some showers tonight and Thursday
across zones 475, 476, 422, 410 and 411. It will dry again Friday
with breezy conditions continuing in zone 413. The big event looks
to be with a cold frontal passage Saturday. It appears like
potential red flag conditions may be reached for low humidity and
wind gusts in zones 427, 413, and 410.
GK
&&
.PIH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
None.
&&
Wildfire, Beaverhead-Lemhi Highlands
- When
- September 12, 5:19 PM MST to September 20, 4:00 PM MST
- Where
- Beaverhead-Lemhi Highlands forecast zone
- Reported by
- Park/Forest Service
- Coordinates
- 44.004, -112.761 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Indian Butte wildfire began September 12th at around 6 pm MDT and burned 13,072 acres in Clark County. It began on Indian Creek Road 9 miles northwest of Dubois and was human caused. Dry Creek road and a portion of Pleasant valley Road were closed. Campers were evacuated on the 13th in the Dry Creek and Pleasant Valley area. One home was evacuated on the 12th but did not get damaged. The fire burned in grass, brush and timber. The fire was considered 100 percent contained on September 20th.
- 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.
- Flash Flood and Flooding in Texas, September 12 to 14, 2018$250,000 · 4 events
- Flash Flood in Texas, September 12, 2018$100,000 · 1 event
- Flooding in Illinois, September 12 to 23, 2018$30,000 · 3 events
- Hail in Minnesota, September 12, 20181.25 in hail · 7 events
- Flash Flooding in Connecticut, September 12, 20186 events
- Frost and Freeze in Oregon, September 12, 20182 events
- Flash Flooding in New York, September 12, 20182 events
- Flash Flooding in New York, September 12, 20182 events
- Hail in Minnesota, September 12, 20181.25 in hail · 2 events
- Waterspout in South Atlantic Coastal Waters, September 12, 20181 event
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- Flash Flood in Connecticut, September 12, 20181 event
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: 787710.