Month: December 2025

Ariel Jensen

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — As temperatures plunge across Eastern Idaho, locals are looking for any way to stay warm. However, the Idaho Falls Fire Department is issuing a stern warning: your efforts to keep warm could be putting your home at risk.

Winter is peak season for structure fires, with space heaters as the main culprit. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, from 2017-2019, space heaters were involved in about 3% of all home heating fires, including 41% of fatal house fires.

While Local News 8 has already reported on several house fires in surrounding areas this month, Idaho Falls has narrowly avoided similar tragedies. According to IFFD Fire Marshal Jim Newton, the danger often lies in the home’s electrical capacity rather than the heater itself.

“The thing we see with space heaters is that they’re typically overloaded, so most houses aren’t built to have multiple space heaters on one circuit,” said Jim Newton, Fire Marsha for the Idaho Falls Fire Department. “So what we find is people put too many space heaters either on a power strip or too many into an outlet, and then they put them too close to other objects, which are then heated up and cause fires.”

When these circuits overheat, or when a heater is placed too close to flammable objects like curtains or furniture, the results can be instantaneous and devastating.

The IFFD recommends all Idahoans take the following precautions:

The Three-Foot Rule: Keep space heaters at least three feet away from anything that can burn.

Plug Directly into Walls: Never use extension cords or power strips for heating units.

Test Your Alarms: Ensure smoke detectors are functional. While many people test them during daylight saving time, Newton emphasizes that it is never too late to check.

Clear the Area: Ensure children and pets are kept away from high-heat sources.

Newton advises Idahoans to make sure smoke alarms are tested. It’s often recommended to check those at the time change, but if you haven’t, it’s never too late to check them. He says early warning and detection are key to life-saving measures.

Click here to follow the original article.

Danielle Mullenix

As we approach “Part 2” of the winter storm systems today and Saturday, temperatures across the region will drop, and snow levels will rise in the highlands. Scattered thunderstorms swept through the valley this Friday afternoon, causing slick roads, sleet, and high winds.

A winter storm warning and advisory was placed into effect by the National Weather Service for the Centennial Mountains and Island Park area. Heavy snow is expected, with total snow accumulations ranging from 5 to 10 inches and winds gusting up to 35 mph. Areas such as Stanley, Ketchum, Island Park, and Driggs, along with all our mountain passes, will see chances of significant snowfall, which could lead to slick travel conditions.

Some light snow is anticipated across all valley floors, including Snake Plain and eastern Magic Valley; however, accumulation is expected to be minimal. Please exercise extra caution when planning travel across the region on Friday and Saturday after Christmas, and check the latest forecasts and road conditions.

This winter weather advisory is in effect from 2 AM Friday through 5 AM MST Saturday. Residents should prepare for slippery roads, as hazardous conditions could significantly affect the Friday morning and evening commutes.

Rain and sleet are expected to move across the valley region this Friday afternoon and early evening. Temperatures are dropping as a cold front approaches this weekend, with highs in the upper 30s and gusts up to 30 mph. Rain and snow are likely tonight, with additional snowfall after midnight.

On Saturday, expect snow with a high of 34 degrees and wind gusts of 35-40 mph. Saturday night will be partly cloudy with a low of 11 degrees. Sunday will be sunny, with a high of 27 degrees, followed by a chilly Monday morning with a low of 8 degrees. High temperatures at the start of the last week of the year will be in the lower 30s.

Looking ahead to next week, temperatures will gradually rise, but overnight lows will remain in the teens after Monday.

Click here to follow the original article.

Ariel Jensen

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — While the day after Christmas typically marks a nationwide wave of holiday returns, small businesses in downtown Idaho Falls are seeing more shoppers buying than returning.

Despite National Retail Federation projections that 17% of holiday purchases will be returned this year, totaling an estimated $890 billion in retail reversals for the 2025 season, local shop owners say the atmosphere remains more “buy” than “bye-bye.”

Local News 8 visited several downtown businesses whose owners told us that while the morning began with a quiet start, things started to pick up as the day went on. Many of these independent businesses report significantly fewer returns than in previous years. Davin Napier, co-owner of Idaho Mountain Trading, noted that the day has become an opportunity for growth rather than a loss of revenue.

“We don’t actually get a lot of returns on this day. We actually usually get a lot of exchanges, which is wonderful. So we feel like we offer enough for everyone, but then they can actually just exchange it. And so it’s actually a really exciting day for us,” Davin Napier, Co-Owner of Idaho Mountain Trading.

Shop owners attribute this shift partly to store policies that favor exchanges or store credit over cash refunds, keeping holiday dollars within the local economy.

Click here to follow the original article.