UPDATE: Deer Park fire grows, containment expected Monday around 10 p.m.

UPDATE: 5:45 p.m.: The Bureau of Land Management reports the Deer Park Fire is 90 percent contained and full containment is expected for 10 p.m. BLM said containment does not mean the fire is completely out, but that the fire perimeter has been lined. Firefighters will continue extinguishing heat within the fire’s interior. 13 engines, 3 dozers, 3 water tenders, 1 helicopter and the Sawtooth Hotshots (91 firefighters) are fighting the fire. UPDATE 8/28 7:30 a.m.: As of 7:30 a.m. Monday, the Bureau of Land Management reports the Deer Park Fire is 65 percent contained and estimates full containment Monday night around 8 p.m. The current fire size is 17,588 acres. BLM officials said the fire was human caused and is under investigation.

No structures are threatened at this time, and no evacuations are in place.

Officials said fire activity died down over night due to high humidity and is minimal and smoldering. Today crews will continue to secure the fire perimeter and will begin mopping up contained portions of the fire.

14 engines, 4 dozers, 3 water tenders and the Sawtooth Hotshots (115 firefighters) are working to put out the fire. Air attack is flying the fire this morning and will call air resources as needed.

The gun range, Unified Sportsmen’s Club, off of Hwy 33 and west of Menan Butte remains closed to the public. It is being used by firefighters as the incident command post.

BLM said to expect to still see smoke and flames from burning vegetation in the fire’s interior.

UPDATE 8/27 10:40 a.m.: The BLM said the Deer Park fire has grown to 17,656 acres overnight and remains 30% contained. “There is almost dozer line around the whole fire perimeter and dozers will continue enforcing the fire line today,” the BLM said in a press release. “Air tankers will also continue to line the fire today with retardant.” All evacuations have been lifted. The gun range, Unified Sportsmen’s Club, off of Hwy 33 and west of Menan Butte, remains closed to the public. It is being used by firefighters as the incident command post. There is almost dozer line around the whole fire perimeter and dozers will continue enforcing the fire line today. Crews expect to have the fire contained Monday. UPDATE 10:46 p.m.: The Madison County Sheriff’s Office says all evacuations have been lifted. The BLM continues to fight the Deer Park fire. UPDATE 6:48 p.m.: The Madison County Sheriff’s Office has begun evacuating homes in the Plano area west of 6000 West because of the Deer Park fire. A reverse 911 has been sent to all residents in the 6000 West telling them to be prepared to leave. UPDATE 6:14 p.m.: The Bureau of Land Management said the Deer Park fire burning west of Rexburg has grown to 14,709 acres and is now threatening structures near Hamer. “There are structures approximately 1 mile from the fire and county firefighters are providing structure protection,” the BLM said in a press release. The Sawtooth Hotshots have been called in to assist with the fire. There are now a total 107 firefighters working to contain this fire. Additional air resources have also been called in. UPDATE 12:32 p.m.: The Bureau of Land Management reported Saturday morning the Deer Park Fire burning 12 miles west of Rexburg is 20-percent contained. Aerial mapping of the fire showed a change in size as well. The BLM said the fire is 11,076 acres in size. The fire reported as 20,000 acres Friday evening.

Highway 33, which was closed because of smoke, reopened around 10:30 p.m. Friday, the BLM said Saturday. The BLM expects the fire behavior to pick up Saturday afternoon. The fire had died down overnight Friday because of higher humidity.

“Fire activity subsided overnight due to higher humidity,” the BLM said in a press release. “Firefighters are taking advantage of the decreased fire activity this morning by securing more of the fire perimeter. The most active portion of the fire is the west flank, which is approximately three miles from I-15. Winds are expected to pick up this afternoon, which will increase fire activity.”

The Unified Sportsmen’s Club, off of Highway 33, remains closed and is being used as an incident command post by firefighters. No homes or other structures are threatened.

The BLM said nine engines, four dozers and three water tenders are currently battle the fire. An air attack has also been ordered.

The fire is burning in grass and brush. The cause of the fire is human caused. An investigation is ongoing.

UPDATE 9:45 p.m. – A human caused wildfire is burning west of Rexburg and north of the Menan Buttes. BLM Fire officials say the Deer Park Fire has burned an estimated 20,000 acres. Fire crews are stationing along Twin Butte and Butte roads and fire crews are putting area residents on notice for possible evacuations. Officials say the Deer Park Fire was human caused, no word on what exactly started the wildfire. UPDATE 8:00 p.m. – Bureau of Land Management officials report the Deer Park fire has grown to 15,000 acres and was human caused. The gun range and some structures which are not primary residences two miles north east of the fire are being evacuated. UPDATE 3:00 p.m.: Bureau of Land Management officials report the Deer Park fire has grown to 1,000 acres. BLM officials said the fire crossed over Highway 33 but is still moving northeast away from Menan. The fire is still on BLM land. As of 3:00 p.m., there are 5 mph winds which are expected to increase by 4: 00 p.m. Crews have made multiple retardants runs. ORIGINAL: Bureau of Land Management firefighters are battling the “Deer Park” fire, which started around noon Friday in an area west of the North Menan Butte. No structures are immediately threatened, but firefighters are considering closing a section of Highway 33 west of the Menan Butte for safety reasons.

BLM spokesperson Kelsey Griffee said the fire was estimated at around 300 acres at 2 p.m. Friday and burning actively on Bureau of Land Management land. There were 5 engines, 2 dozers, 5 single engine air tankers and 2 helicopters fighting the fire. Two large heavy-air tankers have also been dispatched to help.