The Tartar Fire burning in Washington County, Idaho — just north of the city of Weiser — has grown to 138,271 acres and reached 41% containment as of August 4, according to the latest update from incident managers. The fire remains one of the largest active fires in the Pacific Northwest and has caused significant disruption along the US Highway 95 corridor.

Fire Growth and Spread

The Tartar Fire exploded in late July, making a dramatic 20-mile run toward Weiser on the evening of August 1 and impacting structures along US Route 95. That single run transformed the fire from a large but manageable incident into a regional disaster. The fire consumed vast swaths of rangeland and timber, destroying fences, outbuildings, and ranch infrastructure across Washington County's agricultural landscape.

Evacuation Orders

Level 3 (Go Now) evacuation orders remain in effect for areas west of Highway 95 from Midvale Hill southward. Residents in those zones should not return home until orders are officially downgraded. Level 2 (Be Set) and Level 1 (Be Ready) zones extend further into the surrounding area. Washington County residents are urged to monitor alerts from county emergency management and the Idaho Office of Emergency Management.

Incident Management

Southwest Area Incident Management Team 1 assumed command of the Tartar Fire from Great Basin Team 3 on the morning of August 5. Under the new team's management, firefighters and local partners achieved gains along the southern and eastern edges of the fire, helping push containment to 41%. The focus remains on reinforcing these perimeter lines before any return of strong wind events.

Ranching Community Hit Hard

The Tartar Fire tore through critical rangeland that local ranching families have worked for generations. Ranchers who have been able to return to check on their properties have found extensive loss — burned fence lines, lost livestock forage, and in some cases damaged or destroyed outbuildings. Recovery for the agricultural community is expected to take years. Local extension offices and county commissioners are working to coordinate relief resources for affected ranch operations.

For the latest information on the Tartar Fire, visit InciWeb or call the Tartar Fire Information line.