Less than three weeks ago, the Table Rock fire on Boise’s eastern edge charred 1,500 acres of tinder-dry hillsides, destroyed one home and threatened hundreds more. Now, it’s happening again. The Mile Marker 14 fire was first reported near Hilltop Station this afternoon; it quickly grew to more than 1,000 acres and two structures have been destroyed. Highway 21 is closed in both directions from Lucky Peak Dam Road to Robie Creek Road.

The BLM is being assisted by crews from the Boise Fire Department and the Boise National Forest, among others, in fighting the fast-spreading fire; planes and helicopters are in the air. So is a huge plume of smoke, which initially has been blowing away from town, but may flow down into the valley tonight.  The fire, at this point, is zero percent contained.

UPDATE: At just before 6 p.m., the BLM reported that the fire has grown to 2,000 acres with zero percent containment, and the two structures that were destroyed were identified as outbuilding. Also, the fire has been determined to be human-caused. Resources on the fire now include five BLM engines, four dozers, two water tenders, three Boise city fire engines, one Forest Service engine, four helicopters, two single-engine tankers, two heavy air tankers, two very heavy air tankers, additional aircraft and four hand crews.

Meanwhile, the Pioneer Fire near Idaho City, which started yesterday at 5 p.m., has grown to nearly 200 acres. Campers have been evacuated. Only minor structures are threatened; the fire eight miles north of Idaho City is burning north away from town.