Brush fire ignites along Interstate 15 south of Blackfoot

BLACKFOOT — Firefighters extinguished a brush fire that ignited along Interstate 15 south of Blackfoot on Wednesday.

The blaze along Interstate 15's southbound lanes was reported around 4 p.m. and contributed to significant traffic congestion on the freeway.

The fire scorched about two acres of farmland on the west side of the freeway before firefighters from the Blackfoot and Fort Hall fire departments extinguished the flames.

The fire did not result in any injuries, evacuations or damage to structures but it did result in Interstate 15 southbound being partially shut down for over an hour while firefighters were on the scene.

The brush fire coupled with nearby road construction backed up traffic on the freeway for several miles.

Authorities said the fire was ignited by a pickup truck that had gone off the freeway's southbound lanes. The flames, however, burned away from the pickup and did not damage the vehicle, the Blackfoot Fire Department reported.

Idaho State Police also responded to the fire.