Car crash starts fire near Malad Summit

MALAD, Idaho (AP) — UPDATE (2 A.M.): Idaho State Police investigated a crash on southbound Interstate 15 at milepost 25 near Malad Summit on September 3. 21-year-old Erika Larkin from Nibley, Utah was driving a 2001 Oldsmobile Silhouette when the vehicle went off the right shoulder and rolled.

After Larkin exited the vehicle, it caught on fire and then caught the surrounding field on fire. Downey, McCammon, Oneida, Arimo, BLM and U.S. Forest Service fire departments were still on scene at 8 p.m. Tuesday night.

Larkin was taken to Portneuf Medical Center, no word on any injuries. The right lane was blocked for around two hours.

The fire was mapped at 133 acres and is 30 percent contained as of 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. Firefighters managed to stop the fire's forward movement. Structures in the area are no longer threatened and evacuation orders were lifted.

Firefighters were working on securing containment lines on the northern edge of the fire. The next update on the fire will be Wednesday morning, unless significant activity happens overnight.

Five engines, one dozer, one water tender, one handcrew and one helicopter were working the fire.

ORIGINAL AP ARTICLE:

Firefighters are working to control a blaze burning near Malad Summit in southeastern Idaho.

KIFI-TV reports structures are threatened, and authorities are conducting evacuations in Oneida County.

Officials say a car caught fire on the summit and pulled off Interstate 15 around 2 p.m. Tuesday.

Officials say the Malad Summit Fire quickly spread to dry grass and onto the mountain.