Arson suspected in Kellogg fire spree
Photos by CHANSE WATSON/ IDL firefighter Cody Griffin works to smother the fire on Alhambra Ave. by covering it with soil.
Fire burns up the hillside as crews attempt to limit its reach.
A team of IDL firefighters work to extinguish part of the blaze.
IDL firefighter Griffin walks up the smoldering hillside.
Griffin takes another swing at some foliage effected by the fire.
By 11 p.m. Monday night, much of the larger fire had been diminished to sporadic pockets.
IDl crews stand next to the flames.
KELLOGG – An unknown arsonist is suspected of starting several fires across eastern Kellogg Monday night.
Now collectively known as the “Morning Star fires,” Idaho Department of Lands Fire Warden Kjell Truesdell reports that a total of 17 different fires were found and suppressed by crews from IDL and Shoshone County Fire District No. 2.
The first fire, located near the Division Street Bridge, was reported at 7:33 p.m. and Kellogg Police Sgt. Paul Twidt was the first on scene.
Crews from SCFD No. 2 arrived not long after and controlled the blaze before it got out of hand, but that was just the beginning of their night.
“We had just finished on the one on Division Street when (dispatch) told us about the two by Kellogg moving and storage,” SCFD No. 2 Chief Mark Aamodt said. “Then we were spotting them from there and chasing them down.”
Suspecting a pattern of arson, Sgt. Twidt quickly drove to Elizabeth Park in an attempt to cut of the perpetrator. After a brief wait and no sign of fires, he then drove back.
“I come back, grab a shovel and put out the closest one (the fourth fire on the trail) because the guys and the Chief were working on the others,” Twidt explained. “When we were doing that, a guy says ‘hey there’s fires up here on this back road!”
Chief Aamodt and Twidt then drove down Ross Ranch Road and discovered another small fire on the shoulder.
After quickly putting it out, the duo then saw flames creeping over the southern hillside. They then rushed up to Alhambra Ave. and found several starts, including three large fires, burning on the Morning Star bike trail.
The three larger fires would converge to create one big fire that burned just east of the Kellogg Cemetery and north of Alhambra Ave.
IDL crews are stayed on scene throughout the night and ensured that 100 percent containment was obtained on all fires by Tuesday morning.
Fire investigators from IDL, in conjunction with other local agencies, spent numerous hours Tuesday following up on each fire started. The agencies collected evidence from the locations and conducted several interviews with witnesses.
It was also determined that the total area burned was contained to less than one acre in size– over a one mile in walking distance.
Law enforcement does not have a description of the suspected arsonist, but believes they were on foot as they started the fires.
The Shoshone County Fire Chief’s Association expressed their appreciation to all involved in spotting and extinguishing the fires Tuesday afternoon.
“SCFCA wants to thank all parties involved for your quick phone calls that assisted the first responders to locate and suppress the starts. The residents continued support is valued throughout this process.”
If you have any information regarding the identity of the suspect, contact the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office at 208-556-1114, Idaho Department of Lands- Cataldo at 208-682-4611, or Shoshone County Fire District No.2 at 208-784-1188.
If you see any suspicious activity, call 911.