Firefighters on the BLM’s Boise District in June 2023.

BOISE — Seven grass and brush fires totaling a combined 317 acres started June 25 in southwest Idaho, according to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s Boise District.

Risk is increasing seasonally as some storms bring lightning but not always much moisture, and as temperatures rise to dry out fine fuels such as grass and brush, said Chad Cline, the district’s fire information and mitigation officer.

“And on these fires, we were seeing heavy winds,” he said.

Grass and brush grew bigger than usual this year as weather transitioned from wet to warm, then wet again before the most recent warmup, Cline said.

Lightning ignited five of the fires and people are believed to have caused two, according to a news release from the district.

Boise BLM fire crews and cooperating agencies contained the fires overnight June 25-26. They worked to mop up and secure fire lines, and to control the fires, June 26.

Lightning-caused fires included Colder, less than 1 acre 16 miles southeast of Mountain Home; Mile Marker 97, 1 acre on Interstate 84 southeast of Mountain Home; Reggie, 5 acres 15 miles southeast of Boise; Mile Marker 85, 223 acres on Idaho 51 south of Mountain Home; and Chalk, 42 acres two miles northwest of Hammett.

Fires under investigation as human-caused were Lexi, 2 acres three miles southeast of Boise; and Mile Marker 59, 43 acres on Idaho 55 north of Eagle.

The district’s fire prevention order, in effect annually from May 10 to Oct. 10, prohibits discharging, using or possessing all fireworks on public lands, Cline said.