Real-time coverage of wildfires event — Black Ridge Wildfire, Lincoln, Idaho — Pandita Data.
🔥 OPEN LIVE 3D WILDFIRE GLOBEA fast-moving wildfire has ignited in Lincoln County, Idaho, near the Black Ridge area (43.05°N, 113.936°W) as of 25 May 2026, threatening timber and grassland across central Idaho's backcountry. Early fire behaviour reports indicate rapid eastward progression driven by low humidity and sustained winds, with containment efforts underway but expansion likely in coming days. The incident poses direct threats to remote communities, critical infrastructure, and air quality across a multi-state region downwind of the fire.
Idaho's late spring fire season aligns with peak fuel aridity—winter snowpack has melted, vegetation moisture content has dropped below critical thresholds, and atmospheric relative humidity remains near 20–30%, ideal for rapid fire spread. The Black Ridge area sits in the transition zone between Ponderosa pine forests and sagebrush steppe; both fuel types burn efficiently under wind-driven conditions, and the steep terrain accelerates flame length and spotting (flying embers ahead of the main fire front). Mid-May temperatures in this region typically reach 75–85°F, and prevailing westerly winds channeling through the Salmon River Valley create sustained fire-propagation corridors.
Real-time MODIS and Sentinel-2 satellite thermal imaging detects active flame zones and smoke plume evolution; NOAA's HYSPLIT dispersion model projects ash and particulate transport across downwind regions. Pandita Data integrates live IRWIN incident data, thermal anomaly feeds, and local weather station observations to visualize fire perimeter growth, spot-fire locations, and air quality impacts in 3D—enabling incident commanders and public health officials to anticipate spread patterns and coordinate evacuation or air quality warnings.
Idaho averages 1,200–1,800 wildfires annually, burning 300,000+ acres in peak years. Lincoln County sits in a historically high-fire-activity zone; the 2000 Cascade Complex and 2007 Cascade-Sumpter fires burned >500,000 acres across adjacent terrain, demonstrating how rapidly fire can spread under similar conditions.
Track this fire in real time on Pandita Data's wildfire simulation module—watch satellite-detected thermal anomalies, smoke plume dispersion forecasts, and containment perimeter updates as they evolve. Stay informed, stay prepared, and follow local incident command updates at inciweb.nwcg.gov.