Idaho National Guard Helps Fight Claremont and Big Grass Wildfires

Specialized combat engineers from the Idaho National Guard were deployed to the Claremont Fire in the Boise foothills to assess the risk of unexploded military munitions on a former Army testing range. Using mine‑detection equipment, the Guard confirmed the area was clear, allowing firefighters to safely resume suppression operations.

Governor Brad Little declared a fire disaster emergency for parts of Idaho and authorized the Guard to assist with the Big Grass Fire in Owyhee County. The deployment supports state firefighters amid extreme heat, drought, and dry lightning that have driven 530 wildfires to burn over 138,000 acres across Idaho.