OWYHEE COUNTY, Idaho — Smoke still hangs in the air over Jordan Valley, and charred hillsides stretch for miles.
Idaho News 6 spoke to neighbors before 'GO NOW' evacuations were in place, who told us what it was like watching the fire approach their homes.
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Patty Smith, who lives just southeast of Jordan Valley, described the experience as unlike anything she has seen in a lifetime of living in the area.
"It was eerie. Very eerie."
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Smith traced the path the fire took as it moved across the hills from where she stands.
"That whole skyline was flames. It burned very hot. Those trees, those flames were as tall as a skyscraper. I just couldn't believe it."
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Even as the flames crept closer to homes in her neighborhood, Smith said leaving wasn't an option.
"We would not leave. We would not leave, never."
Smith said many of her neighbors made the same decision, staying to protect their homes and livestock.
Bryan Greenfield's family evacuated briefly but soon returned.
"We came back, and the winds are just terrible up here, and so we have just been, I don't know, just trying really hard to make good decisions to keep our family safe, and it just seems like we just need more help."
Residents credited local Rangeland Fire Protection Associations — made up of ranchers and community members — with helping save homes in the area.
"This community is awesome, but there's just not, I don't feel like there's enough outside support."
Much of the landscape has already burned, but patches of grass and brush remain, keeping the threat alive.
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"We're just afraid that we still have this front here that can burn," Greenfield said.
Residents said they are hoping more ground crews and air support will remain in the area.
"We're just trying to make the best decisions we can, but it's just out of control," Greenfield said.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
