The regional office of the Bureau of Land Management reported this morning that firefighting crews have made significant progress on stopping the advance of the Mammoth Fire, which started Friday north of Shoshone and marched northward over the weekend through sagebrush and grasslands to the south of Blaine County.

The BLM reported Monday morning that it expects to have the fire contained by 8 p.m. tonight, Aug. 7, and controlled by Thursday night. The fire has burned about 50,200 acres of land.

The BLM reported that a "burnout" operation on Sunday was successful in eliminating fuels in the fire's path and that most of the fire's progression had been stopped.

"Crews are improving containment lines and mopping up hotspots," the BLM reported. "Some interior burning is expected today, but should not cause any additional growth."

The BLM has 24 engines, two hand crews,one hot-shot crew, 20 aircraft, four bulldozers, three water tenders and one camp crew fighting the fire.

The wildfire started about seven miles north of Shoshone, near the Mammoth Ice Caves, on Friday, of an undetermined cause. Over the weekend, it burned north to within about seven miles of Carey. On Sunday, crews were able to stop the fire at the Picabo Desert Road, south of Timmerman Hill.

The fire has burned one residence and two minor structures, the BLM reported.

On Saturday night and Sunday morning, the fire threatened to destroy a primary electrical transmission line into the Wood River Valley. County officials and residents were put on alert Saturday that loss of the line could cause a sustained power outage in the valley. Idaho Power Co. and BLM crews were able to prevent severe damage to the line and power to Blaine County was never lost.

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Crews make progress on Mammoth Fire - Idaho Mountain Express and Guide