U.S. Forest Service / Wikimedia Commons
A wildfire burning in Bannock County near Pocatello grew to 400 acres Sunday afternoon, prompting a multi-agency response as flames remained visible from Interstate 15.
The blaze, named the Gap Fire, was first reported around 1:45 p.m. in the 6000 block of West Old Highway 91. By 4 p.m., the Eastern Idaho Interagency Fire confirmed the fire had expanded to 400 acres, more than double what early estimates suggested.
The U.S. Forest Service joined the effort, deploying a Helicopter Bucket Crew to help battle the blaze from the air. As of Sunday evening, investigators had not determined a cause, and no estimated containment time had been provided.
Drivers passing on I-15 shared videos and photos of the fire to social media, with smoke clearly visible from the interstate corridor.
The Gap Fire comes as Idaho counties have been tightening wildfire restrictions ahead of what officials warn could be an earlier and longer 2026 fire season. Dry conditions and below-average snowpack across eastern Idaho have raised concerns heading into summer about elevated fire risk across the region.
No structures or injuries were reported in early updates. Authorities have not released a timeline for containment.
About the Author
