Tire fire leads to large plume of smoke in Jerome

JEROME, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — Fire crews have knocked down a tire fire that caused a massive plume of smoke to fill the air over Jerome on Friday.

The fire started around 10:30 a.m. at a home along N 200 W, according to the Jerome County Sheriff’s Office. A father and son were burning weeds in their backyard when a flame got away from them and got into some weeds that were in a pile of tires.

The flames were visible in the property’s backyard, and smoke could be seen from up to several miles away.

The son, Jaiden Fullerton, said he and his father acted quickly to prevent the fire from damaging anything else.

“We got the snowmobiles out which was pretty hard, they were really heavy. But luckily, we didn’t lose so much,” Fullerton said.

There were no reports of injuries or threats to surrounding property, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Jerome Rural Fire District, Jerome County Sheriff’s Office, Jerome City Fire and Wendell Fire responded to the scene.

When the Jerome Rural Fire Department arrived, the shed was fully engulfed.

“There were flames as high as that tree when we got here,” Jerome Rural Fire Department Chief Larry Robbins said, pointing to a large tree behind him.

Robbins said they acted quickly and put out the fire in two hours. The fire was contained in the shed and did not spread.

Chief Robbins said they remained on the scene for an hour to ensure there were no hotspots. He added that with the dry weather and foliage, people must take precautions if they burn any dry flora.

“Definitely call in and report a controlled burn,” Robbins said. “Make sure you have a water supply, and you can control it. Burn in small sections, don’t try to burn anything very large at a time. Small fires are easier to take care of than large ones.”

Chief Robbins also warned against being mindful of the wind, as it can carry flames and embers to flammable areas.

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