PLACERVILLE, Idaho — When a wildfire closed a stretch of Highway 55 earlier this week, some drivers searching for another way north found themselves traveling through one of Idaho's smallest towns.
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Senior Reporter Riley Shoemaker visited Placerville, where residents say the temporary increase in traffic highlighted both the community's charm and the challenges that come with serving as an unofficial alternate route.
Former Placerville Mayor Brian Davies said the town's quiet atmosphere is what has always drawn people there.
"It's so nice and quiet," Davies said. "This is truly God's country. I love it."
The fire forced the closure of a portion of Highway 55 in Boise County, cutting off one of the primary routes between the Treasure Valley and Idaho's central mountains. While the Idaho Transportation Department directed drivers to official alternate routes, some motorists also traveled through Placerville using Harris Creek Road to connect with Garden Valley, Idaho City and surrounding communities.
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Placerville, a former Gold Rush mining town, is the eighth-smallest incorporated city in Idaho and is home to approximately 35 full-time residents.
"It's just a small mountain community," Davies said.
Residents said the increase in traffic brought concerns about speeding through town.
"It's not so much the noise... it's the speeders," Davies said. "If you're out enjoying everything and you see these cars roaring through here, that's a little frustrating."
Unlike Highway 55, portions of Harris Creek Road are unpaved and pass through open range, where drivers can encounter livestock. The route also winds through a community where homes and local businesses sit close to the roadway.
Davies said drivers passing through can help preserve the town's character by slowing down.
"People slow down. Slow down. Take it easy... it's only going to take you another minute or two," Davies said.
With Highway 55 now reopened, residents say they hope Placerville returns to its usual quiet pace and remains protected through the rest of wildfire season.
