U.S. Forest Service - Boise National Forest

Poorman Prescribed Fire UPDATE - June 17, 2026 @ 5:30 p.m.

Fire crews on the Poorman Prescribed Fire continue making progress in identifying and eliminating smoke sources. All control lines remain secure, with no spotting across the lines.

Late yesterday, fire became active in a previously unburned section of the project’s interior. This steep, brushy area burned actively through the night and into this morning, with firefighters working to prevent debris from impacting the Banks-Lowman Road.

This fire activity contributed to significant smoke throughout Garden Valley this morning and will be mopped up over the next few days.

A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place today as our drone pilots map hot spots using infrared cameras. This helps target priority areas to focus firefighters’ efforts and reduce smoke impacts to the community.

ROAD 304 REOPENED!

National Forest System Road 304 (Pine Creek Road) has been reopened this morning after successful completion of a new bridge placement over Mores Creek. This new steel-and-concrete bridge is longer, improving stream flow beneath it and supports a more natural ecological function.

See below for before and after photos.

𝗣𝗼𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗱 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘 – 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟭𝟲, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 @ 𝟯:𝟬𝟬 𝗽.𝗺.

This morning, dry vegetation on the ridge northeast of the Garden Valley Work Center became active, and smoke was visible from the Banks–Lowman Road. Firefighters quickly engaged the area to reduce smoke impacts, while other crews continued mop-up work deeper inside the unit and mapped remaining hot spots.

Nighttime inversions and warmer temperatures may continue to trap smoke in the valley, and residents may see occasional flames from unburned vegetation. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗲, and firefighters are actively patrolling along the perimeter and well within the burn unit.

A drone (unmanned aerial system) is scheduled to conduct visible and infrared reconnaissance flights later this week, and a temporary flight restriction will be in place during those operations.

𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲. The entire burn area, including the Station Creek Trail and Hot Springs Campground, remains open to the public.

Photo of firefighters on the Poorman Prescribed Fire, June 16, 2026. (Photo by USDA Forest Service)

Poorman Prescribed Fire Update – June 15, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.

Warm and dry conditions are allowing for increased fire behavior in a portion of the upper reaches of Poorman Creek. A pocket of brush and heavy fuels are burning there this afternoon, creating a noticeable smoke column. This fire activity is within the project area and does not threaten the containment lines.

This pocket of heavy fuels is on an east facing slope and tends to be more active in the late morning and early afternoon but becomes less active in the late afternoon while out of the sun.

Crews are continuing to identify and extinguish isolated smokes elsewhere in the project area.

An infrared drone flight is scheduled for this week to locate and map isolated heat sources.

Send a message to learn more

𝗣𝗼𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗱 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 – 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟭𝟰, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲, 𝗮𝘁 𝟱:𝟯𝟬 𝗽.𝗺.

Mop up operations continue as firefighters rotate in and out today and tomorrow. The Boise National Forest’s Crew 5, a 20 person hand crew based in Lowman, is now on scene, and Garden Valley’s Engine 361 is continuing to provide support.

An infrared drone flight is scheduled for this week, timed to coincide with the forecasted higher temperatures. This will help us locate and map any remaining heat sources.

Daytime smoke has steadily diminished over the past week. The attached photo, taken late on June 13 from a lookout on the south side of the valley, shows smoke production largely confined to the upper portions of Poorman Creek. (Photo by Chris Hightower/USDA Forest Service.)

Poorman Prescribed Fire Update - June 13, 2026, at 4 p.m.

Warm, dry weather continues today with a wind shift out of the north.

Fire crews continue to engage in mop‑up operations along control lines, improving existing conditions and mitigating hazard trees. Focus continues to be placed on the Station Creek Trail due to higher public activity in the area.

Local resources including Engine 361 and Crew 5 will continue to support operations as other out of the area resources time out.

Interior pockets of heat continue to smolder as fuels burn down, but there is no threat to control lines. Expect visible smoke overnight and in early mornings as inversions settle into drainages.

Photo: Fresh growth since ignition operations Poorman Prescribed Fire, June 12, 2026 (Mike Williamson/USDA Forest Service)

Poorman Prescribed Fire Update – June 12, 2026, at 6 p.m.

Firefighters continued mopping up isolated pockets of smoldering logs and duff today, as well as felling a few hazard trees. In addition to crews patrolling for heat, each day a lookout is positioned at the top of the drainage to spot smokes and guide others to those locations.

The weather forecast calls for clear skies and steadily warming temperatures through early next week.

Photo: Firefighters evaluating a hazard tree on the Poorman Prescribed Fire, June 12, 2026 (Mike Williamson/USDA Forest Service).

Poorman Prescribed Fire Update – June 11, 2026, at 6 p.m.

Firefighters continued mopping up today, finding most of the remaining heat and smoldering in Station Creek and on the west side of the project area. They will focus their work there again tomorrow, likely supported by an engine that may be visible from the Banks–Lowman Road.

The weather forecast calls for clear skies and gradually warming temperatures over the next several days.

The Station Creek Trail and area closure has been lifted. Hikers may encounter firefighters working in the area—feel free to say hello.

Attached photo from within the burn area by Sam Lewis/USDA Forest Service.

𝗣𝗼𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗱 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 – 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟭𝟬, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲, 𝗮𝘁 𝟰 𝗽.𝗺.

Today, firefighters continued mopping up smoldering pine needle litter and logs in Station Creek and patrolled the rest of the fire perimeter. They will continue this work for the next several days, targeting and extinguishing smoldering fuels to reduce sources of smoke impacting the community.

Yesterday’s rain, cloud cover, and cooler temperatures helped to decrease smoke production, but we expect there will still be visible smoke to hikers and the community as the forecast is for warming and drying weather.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗮 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗱. Hikers may encounter firefighters working in the area. Feel free to say hello.

Attached photo shows firefighters working to extinguish smokes near Station Creek. (Photo by Sam Lewis/USDA Forest Service)

For questions about the Poorman Prescribed Fire, call 208-861-3465.

𝗣𝗼𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗱 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 – 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟵, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲, 𝗮𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝗼𝗻.

Firefighters continued to focus their efforts on mopping up smoldering pine needles around Station Creek yesterday and will continue to do so today and through this week. Containment lines are secure, are actively patrolled, and there remains little chance for the fire to threaten these lines.

Earlier this morning, rain moved over the fire with the nearby Little Anderson Remote Automated Weather Station (RAWS) registering 0.12” of rain. This precipitation will temporarily reduce smoldering in the pine needles today but is not enough to eliminate heat remaining within areas of heavy forest canopy.

The current weather forecast is for warming and drying conditions later this week. This will likely result in noticeable smoke, but conditions should improve as available fuels continue to burn out and firefighters actively extinguish smoldering areas.

The current trail and area closure will expire on June 10 at 4 p.m. after which hikers on Station Creek Trail may encounter firefighters working in the area.

For questions about the Poorman Prescribed Fire, call 208-861-3465

Send a message to learn more