Author: KIFI

Bailee Shaw

Jackson, WY (KIFI) — Fire crews are battling to contain the Spread Creek Wildfire in the Bridger-Teton National Forest. The lightning-caused wildfire has already burned an estimated 300 acres in the Spread Creek drainage near Sagebrush Flat in the Blackrock Ranger District, just a few miles south of the Hatchet Resort near the base of the Togwotee Pass.

Courtesy: U.S. Forest Service-Bridger-Teton National Forest

Wednesday, firefighters attacked the blaze from the air, utilizing a helicopter while simultaneously, engines worked to contain the blaze from the ground. Despite these efforts, the wildfire grew to an estimated 80 to 100 acres by late afternoon due to thunderstorms, strong winds, and dry conditions.

Additional hotshot crews and firefighting resources are being brought in today to strengthen the containment efforts.

Fire crews are asking the public to stay out of Hatchet and Flagstaff roads, so firefighters can keep working safely and efficiently on the ground.

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News Team

SODA SPRINGS, Idaho (KIFI) — Idaho state police is investigating a five-vehicle crash that sent three people to the hospital during Wednesday’s dust storm on State Highway 34 just north of Soda Springs.

The incident began when several vehicles were stopped on northbound State Highway 34, waiting for a dust storm to pass. ISP says a 2024 Toyota Prius then attempted to pass these stopped vehicles, leading to a chain of events that ended in the multi-vehicle collision.

When the Prius tried to re-enter the northbound lane of travel, it blocked the southbound lane. At the same time, a 2005 Dodge Ram, driven by a 66-year-old male from Soda Springs, Idaho, also traveling northbound, attempted to pass. ISP says the Ram sideswiped a stopped 2003 Chevrolet Silverado before striking the Prius. The force of the impact caused a 1996 Dodge Dakota (driven by a 28-year-old Pocatello man) to collide with a 2005 Acura (driven by a 23-year-old Preston woman).

Emergency responders transported the 49-year-old male driver of the Prius, along with his two passengers, to a local hospital. While most involved in the pileup were wearing seatbelts, ISP confirmed that one passenger in the Prius was not restrained at the time of the crash.

The wreckage and subsequent investigation stalled traffic on State Highway 34 for around 3 hours on Wednesday. The crash remains under investigation by Idaho State Police.

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Danielle Mullenix

The record-breaking high temperatures from earlier this week will take a brief pause as we cool down due to the First Alert Weather on Wednesday. We can expect temperatures to return to the 60s and 70s for the remainder of the workweek, accompanied by calmer winds and drier conditions, wrapping up this unpredictable week in May.

The sunshine will return to the forecast for this Thursday, with highs in the upper 60s and low 70s. A bit of a drop-off in temperatures from earlier this week. where we saw record-breaking highs reach the upper 80s. Leftover winds from yesterday will shift from the southwest at around 15 to 25 mph, with gusts up to 35 mph.

Friday’s forecast indicates another day of sunny weather, with a high of 69°F. It will be breezy, with southwest winds at 15 mph, increasing to 20 to 25 mph in the afternoon. Winds may gust up to 40 mph.

Over the weekend, will dip into cooler temperatures, with some more elevated regions experiencing overnight freezes. Mountainous areas can expect the possibility of frost slipping into the weekend forecast by Sunday.

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Hadley Bodell

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – Special Olympics programs across the country give athletes with various disabilities the opportunity to compete. The Gate City Diamondbacks Special Olympics basketball team was lucky enough to compete against a totally new team: local law enforcement.

This year, program coordinator Kathy Walker said all five local law enforcement agencies were in attendence.

“These guys have really been looking forward to playing with the police officers,” Walker said. “Trying to get 30 men on board takes a lot of work!”

The game gives officers a chance to connect with community members and bond with the Special Olympic athletes.

“It’s about community and we want them to see that police officers aren’t scary people,” Walker added.

The Fort Hall Police have been invited for several years to participate in Gate City Diamondback athletics. “It’s just a great opportunity to come out and built rapport with the community,” said Tierre Johnson, Captain of the Fort Hall Police. “I love just playing and getting to know the athletes, see their personalities, people making baskets and getting excited about it.”

The Special Olympics programs include weekly golfing at Highland Golf Course, softball, bowling and more. Walker also said the humanity and true sportsmanship is a constant theme at special Olympics events.

“Last week at regional, our team was playing against another team that was quite a bit better than us, but the other team would catch the rebound and throw the ball back to our team members so they could shoot baskets,” she said. “It’s pretty awesome to watch.”

One special Olympian, Josh Skinner, said beating the police gave him a lot of confidence in his basketball skills. “They’re actually really tough competitors,” he said. “They’re also really fun because they seem nice on the inside, but they’re tough.”

Skinner is the newest member to the Gate City Diamondbacks team and said he’s loved being a part of this community. “I just get to be out and be active because most days I’m not very active, and I get to be out here,” he said. “I’ve been actually really good friends with [my teammates] them, and I think everyone on the team is really great. I like how we work together and make quite the team.”

The officers praised the Diamondbacks for their basketball skills, saying “Some of the players out here just shot from inside the half court and made a couple of shots, they’re amazing.”

Johnson also said last year there weren’t as many officers present, and that the continuing of these types of community games are a testimony of “progressing and moving in the right direction.”

The bleachers were packed Monday night for the exciting game. The Gate City Diamondbacks came out on top, with a win of 27-10 against the officers.

Skinner had one final message to people wondering about the Special Olympics: “We’re a team that’s special. People need to know that a lot of people have special needs. Just try to help them all.”

For more information about volunteering with the Special Olympics or to donate to local teams, visit their website https://www.specialolympics.org.

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David Pace

ELECTION 2026 Coverage: Local News 8 is highlighting some of the most competitive, talked-about Legislative races in the region during the final run-up to the May 19 primary election.

BLACKFOOT AND SHELLEY, Idaho (KIFI) – Incumbent Ben Fuhriman is facing a challenge by former three-term legislator Julianne Young in a battle for District 30 Seat B with razor-thin margins.

The contest between the two candidates in 2024 required a recount and ultimately came down to four votes.

This year, the politicians are giving voters in Bingham and Butte counties another opportunity to choose between their differing styles and priorities.

When asked how they differ from one another, the two did not mince words.

Young said national groups rank her the most conservative candidate in this race.

“Look at national scorecards from groups whose expertise is to evaluate the conservative nature of a person’s record. I have a very strong conservative record with those scorecards, and my opponent has had to try to explain away those scorecards and discredit them,” said Young, candidate for Legislative District 30 Seat B.

Fuhriman said he is a defender of public education.

“95 percent of our students go to public schools. 95 percent of our kids need a good education in public schools because that’s where they go. My opponent consistently voted against funding for public education. I don’t know why,” said Fuhriman, candidate for Legislative District 30 Seat B.

For their take on the issues – including Medicaid expansion, water scarcity, budgets, illegal immigration and more – watch our full interviews with both candidates below.

Ben Fuhriman election interview.

Julianne Young election interview.

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Dylan Carder

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Thousands of East Idahoans are without power due to Wednesday’s severe thunderstorm. Rocky Mountain Power says restoration crews are”working hard to restore power” after high winds knocked down power lines across a broad section of the state.

Wind gusts around 60 to 70 miles per hour plowed through the area. Atomic City had the highest reported wind gust at 77 MPH.

At one point, more than 40 outages across Idaho had 7,000 customers without power late in the afternoon. By 6:30pm, the number of outages had been reduced to 22 affecting 3,296 customers.

The outages ranged from ares as far south as Malad and Preston. Some of the northern communities included Rexburg, Mud Lake, and Monteview. For the latest updates, you can view the outages on Rocky Mountain Power’s interactive map.

Idaho Power also reported multiple outages due to the thunderstorms that rolled through on Wednesday. As of 6:30pm, there were still 31 outages affecting 4,439 customers. Most of those were in the Magic and Treasure Valleys. The areas in eastern Idaho were mainly in Bingham and Power County, impacting areas in Aberdeen, American Falls, and Rockland. Updates for Idaho Power outages can be found in its interactive map.

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News Team

BLACKFOOT, Idaho (KIFI) — A Blackfoot home was severely damaged, but the residents escaped without injury after a fast-moving fire gutted their garage Tuesday afternoon.

The Blackfoot Fire Department reports that the blaze began around 12:21 p.m. Fortunately, the department says a quick-thinking neighbor, who spotted the flames and alerted the residents. Thanks to that timely warning, everyone inside the home evacuated safely before emergency crews arrived.

As they arrived on the scene, firefighters found the attached garage completely engulfed in flames. Responding with multiple engines, the fire crews established an attack line to the garage to battle the main body of the fire. At the same time, a second crew entered through the front door to conduct a search and prevent the fire from spreading further into the home.

While the most severe structural damage was contained to the garage, the fire breached the kitchen, and the remainder of the residence sustained significant smoke and heat damage.

Firefighters gained the upper hand on the blaze by 1:04 p.m., containing damage mostly to the garage with some fire damage to the kitchen and smoke and heat damage to the rest of the home. At this time, there is no word on the estimated cost of damages.

The fire, which began on the northeast side of the garage, is still under investigation.

In the wake of the blaze, the surrounding community has responded to the resident’s time of need. According to a GoFundMe page shared on the Life In Blackfoot Facebook group, the family is unable to live in the house as a result of the fire and is trying to “figure things out” for their 4 children and great-grandchild.

As of Wednesday morning, community members have raised over $1500 for the fundraiser. For more information, click HERE.

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Kaelyn Blessinger

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – From ripping up furniture to running away in a fearful frenzy, thunderstorms are starting to roll in, which may cause distress in our furry friends.

When the howling winds and booming thunder move in, we aren’t taken by surprise, but experts say our animals cannot comprehend what this is, and that makes them very anxious. And that anxiety can be dangerous for their well-being.

“We have to be sure that we’re keeping them indoors, because a lot of times when they get scared, they will flee and run away. And a lot of pets go missing during storms,” Lead Veterinary Technician at Broadway Veterinary Clinic, Kylee Abel, stated.

According to local veterinarians, there is a way to keep your pet calm through these terrifying times.

If you know your pet will react poorly to the weather, you can bring them to your vet for some prescription anxiety medication that can help ease their stress.

There are also various calming vests available in stores or online that could give your pet the sensation of a hug, to help them feel more secure.

If neither of those is doable, it is recommended to keep them in a quiet room, far away from the sounds of the storm. You can put on some music, the TV, a sound machine, whatever you think they’d prefer. As a way to comfort them.

Why are dogs scared of thunder?

Many pets are afraid of loud noises; coupled with their sensitive hearing, physical discomfort from static electricity, and the inability to fully understand what is going on can trigger the “fight or flight” response.

Sensory Overload – Since animals have much more sensitive hearing than humans, the boom of thunder can be deafening and terrifying for them

Static Electricity – Static electricity builds up during storms, which can cause painful, tiny shocks to animals. This often leads them to hide in areas with low static, like bathtubs or toilets.

Barometric Pressure Changes – Pets can feel the pressure changes in the atmosphere, sending off signals to them that something dangerous is approaching

Unpredictable flashes – the bright lightning flashes are sudden and unexpected, which can be very scary for animals

Lack of understanding – Animals do not understand what the noise is or why there are flashing lights and howling winds. This makes thunderstorms terrifying and unknown for pets.

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Maile Sipraseuth

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI)– Firearms continue to rank as the leading cause of death for children nationwide. In Idaho — a state where hunting and sport shooting are a major part of life for many families — local firearm experts are emphasizing that simple steps at home can prevent life-altering tragedies.

According to Kwaid Garrett, the shop manager at Guns and Gear in Idaho Falls, responsible gun ownership starts with properly storing guns unloaded, locked away, and out of children’s reach.

“It’s very, very important that as an adult you need to do your part, go to training classes, and actively participate in how to use your firearm properly,” said Garrett. “In turn, it’s going to be a safer community. You’re going to be more knowledgeable. You’re going to have the ability to relay better information to your kids and to family members that might be running into situations where their kids are curious about firearms.”

Key storage tips

Garrett recommends using a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) or biometric safe to secure your firearms, as it’s an efficient way to practice securing your firearms correctly while having quick access to protection.

“They’re opening faster. They’re giving you access to the firearms faster, while also maintaining a level of security that makes it a lot trickier for children and for burglars and anybody that is trying to rob you, it makes it a little bit easier for you to get access to it and harder for them,” Garrett said.

Here are some tips to storing firearms:

Unloaded: Always make sure a firearm is unloaded, with no ammunition in the chamber or magazine, before placing it in storage.

Locked away: secure guns in gun safes with ammunition in a separate, locked container and out of reach.

Use combination locks and safes or safes that use biometric security, such as fingerprint locks.

Talking to your kids about guns

According to Safekids.org, talking to your children and their caregivers is another important step into keeping your kids safe from gun accidents.

“It’s crucially important because children are exceptionally curious and, with a lack of education on how to be safe and how to store firearms properly. Kids, just with their curiosity, want to get into things and they want to explore,” Garrett said.

Teach children that firearms shown on television or in video games are very different from real guns and can cause serious harm.

Communicate to babysitters, grandparents, and caretakers about gun storage and guns in the home.

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News Release

The following is a news release from the Idaho Falls Fire Department:

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — The Idaho Falls Fire Department responded to a brush fire reported at approximately 1:50 p.m. today near the railroad tracks off North Haroldsen Drive that threatened nearby structures and businesses.

Upon arrival, crews encountered multiple spot fires and burning debris across a dry grass area, creating rapidly changing conditions and challenging access. The fire is believed to have been caused by metal work at the scene, which produced sparks that ignited nearby dry grass.

Courtesy: Idaho Falls Fire Department

The fire burned an estimated 150 yards in length and approximately 800 feet in width, extending from a fence line toward the railroad tracks. Due to the presence of multiple spot fires, the total affected area remains an estimate.

Fire crews deployed a robust response, including two Type 3 brush trucks, one Type 6 brush truck, one tactical tender, three Type 1 engines and a ladder truck. Dispatch coordinated with the railroad to halt train traffic in the area during suppression efforts.

Crews were able to quickly contain the fire and remain on scene to monitor conditions, extinguish hot spots and prevent rekindling due to continued wind. No significant property damage has been reported.

“This was a fast-moving fire in a complex area to access, and our crews executed a strong, coordinated response,” said Idaho Falls Fire Chief Johan Olson. “They did an outstanding job stopping the fire before it could impact nearby businesses or cause significant loss. With the unusually dry conditions we’re experiencing, we urge the public to treat current conditions more like mid-summer. Please use extreme caution with anything that could create sparks around dry vegetation.”

The Idaho Falls Fire Department reminds residents that increased heat, wind and dry conditions significantly elevate fire risk. Avoid activities that may produce sparks near dry grass, and report any signs of fire immediately.

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