More areas open to residents in Charlotte Fire
Some evacuations and road closures have been lifted after Thursday’s Charlotte Fire, and Pocatello police are beginning an assessment of areas burned.
As of Saturday afternoon, the Country Club, Gibson Jack and Cahina areas were open to residents only. Mink Creek Road remains closed.
Residents must show ID with their address on it to enter into the open areas. Escorts into the burned areas were to stop at 5 p.m. Saturday . There were to be no escorts into the area Sunday.
Pets have been taken to the Pocatello Animal Shelter. County officials are asking residents not to go to the shelter to look for missing pets until regular business hours on Monday . Livestock has been taken to the Bannock County Fairgrounds.
The American Red Cross closed the Holt Arena shelter at 1 p.m. Saturday. The organization will be at the Clarion on Saturday from 4 to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 8 to 6 p.m. to talk to victims and people who want to help.
The hotline open information on the fire will close Sunday at 9 p.m. It is (208) 234-6201. The Pocatello Fire Department and American Red Cross officials have been staffing the phone.
City and county officials are asking people to keep their distance from the closed areas.
“Don’t make us shut down roads,” said Bannock Sheriff Lorin Nielsen in a news conference Friday morning. “Please don’t make us start arresting people (who shouldn’t be in the evacuated areas).”
He said non-emergency personnel in the closed areas hinder the work of firefighters and that the fire is still active.
The post office at 730 E. Park St. said Friday it would hold mail for people in the evacuated areas until police allow entry into the area. The fire affected 1,300 deliveries.
Police said it appears no homes in the Johnny Creek area were damaged. As a result of the fire, so far, there have been no reported casualties.
Power is still out in much of the fire area. Utility companies are on the scene.
Monitor Local News 8, KIDK Eyewitness News and this website for the latest information.
