18 Aug 2013

US wildfire forces thousands from their homes

4:05 pm on 18 August 2013

A fast-moving central wildfire in the American state of Idaho has forced the evacuation of 2,250 homes near the tourist towns of Hailey and Ketchum.

Occupants on the outskirts of both towns have been told to leave without delay.

The blaze also threatens the Sun Valley ski resort.

Reuters reports that the fast-moving wildfire has burned across more than 37,000 hectares of sagebrush, pine forests and granite canyons in the Sawtooth Range.

More than 1000 people have fled subdivisions on the southern outskirts of Ketchum.

Hundreds of firefighters are battling to keep flames from crossing to the east side of a highway that links the three towns and is the only developed road out of the valley.