Moose Fire Investigators Need Witnesses

What has been suspected all along has been confirmed, that the massive Moose fire near Salmon, Idaho, was caused by an unattended campfire that was left smoldering. The fire burned more than 130,000 acres so far and killed three people working the fire.

On July 30 the Forest Service said that the fire was human-caused, but said at the time that the specific cause was under investigation. According to an announcement this week, the fire was "an unextinguished and unattended campfire, that spread to adjacent vegetation."

On July 17th The fire exploded across hundreds of acres in the first few hours, to tens of thousands of acres within days. The Moose Fire began on a small flat commonly used as a dispersed camping area, across from the Moose Creek drainage, between Salmon River Road and the Main Salmon River, approximately 5 and a half miles west of North Fork, Idaho. Two pilots and one firefighter died while fighting the Moose fire.

Investigators are seeking information from the public to help identify people who were present at the site during that time. Tips can be emailed to SM.FS.2022MooseTip@usda.gov.