A fast-moving wildfire that ignited Sunday afternoon in the Portneuf Gap area between Pocatello and Inkom prompted an evacuation order for nearby residents before crews managed to slow the fire’s advance enough to lift the alert by early evening.
The Gap Fire was first reported at approximately 1:45 p.m. in the Portneuf Gap corridor in Bannock County. Within roughly two hours, the fire had exploded from an estimated 20 acres to approximately 200 acres, threatening structures along Canyon Road west of Inkom and triggering an immediate evacuation order for the area.
Evacuation Order Lifted, Crews Still on Scene
Residents who had been forced from their homes received some relief when the evacuation order was officially lifted at 7:10 p.m. However, firefighting operations remained active well into the evening. As of a 7:35 p.m. update from the Bureau of Land Management, no estimated containment time had been provided.
The BLM urged residents and bystanders to keep their distance from the active fire zone. “Firefighter and public safety is the highest priority,” the agency said in its evening update. “Please avoid the area and give the firefighters room to work.”
Multiple agencies responded to the blaze. The U.S. Wildland Fire Service Great Basin Unit 3, based out of Idaho Falls, deployed resources to assist, as did the U.S. Forest Service, which contributed a Helicopter Bucket Crew to aerial suppression efforts.
Cause Remains Unknown
Investigators had not determined the cause of the fire as of the last official update Sunday evening. Dry conditions and terrain in the Portneuf Gap corridor can create challenging firefighting environments, particularly during periods of elevated fire weather. Lightning and wind have been pushing fire risk higher across portions of southern Idaho in recent days, though no direct connection to the Gap Fire has been confirmed.
Canyon Road and the surrounding landscape west of Inkom sit in an area where grassland and sagebrush terrain can allow fire to move quickly, especially in afternoon heat with any wind present. The fire’s rapid growth — tenfold in under two hours — reflects those conditions.
Bannock County residents are reminded that fire season brings heightened danger across southeast Idaho, and that early reporting, quick evacuation compliance, and giving emergency personnel space to operate all contribute to better outcomes. Pocatello has seen other significant fire incidents in recent days, underscoring the elevated hazard level facing the region.
What Comes Next
BLM and assisting agencies are expected to continue suppression and mop-up operations on the Gap Fire until full containment is achieved. No containment timeline has been publicly announced. Residents along Canyon Road west of Inkom should continue to monitor official communications from BLM and Bannock County emergency management for any changes to access restrictions or renewed evacuation warnings. An official investigation into the fire’s cause is ongoing.