Juliaetta residents can return home as evacuation levels lowered in Gwen fire

Residents of Juliaetta, Idaho, can return to their homes as evacuations for the Gwen fire were lowered to a Level 2 on Monday.

According to a Facebook post from the Latah County Sheriff’s Office, Juliaetta was moved to “be set” to evacuate and Idaho Highway 3 was reopened. The town of Kendrick is also in Level 2 evacuations.

However, fire behaviors can “change rather quickly,” the sheriff’s office said, so residents must be prepared for evacuation notices also to change.

As of Monday morning, the Gwen fire was reported as reaching over 28,800 acres, the Idaho Department of Lands released. Total containment is still at 0%, but firefighters are making “good progress” on the Northwest corner of the fire as they completed a dozer line in the area.

Lightning sparked the fire on Wednesday, the department said.