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Fire Threatens Celebrity Resort Homes In Idaho

In this photo released by the U.S. Forest Service, firefighters stand watch near the perimeter of the Elk Complex fire near Pine, Idaho, earlier this week.
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Associated Press
In this photo released by the U.S. Forest Service, firefighters stand watch near the perimeter of the Elk Complex fire near Pine, Idaho, earlier this week.

An evacuation order in Idaho has been expanded to include 1,600 homes, including many in the resort community of Sun Valley, officials say.

The 100-square mile Beaver Creek Fire expanded rapidly on Friday, whipped up by 30 mph winds and low humidity, officials say.

State and federal firefighters were hoping to control the blaze and "protect property in the affluent resort region that's a second home to celebrities such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tom Hanks and Bruce Willis," The Associated Press writes.

"It's safe to say we've got a lot of structures at risk," said Shawna Hartman, spokeswoman for the Beaver Creek Fire, was quoted by the news agency as saying.

On Friday, Idaho Gov. Butch Otter surveyed the damage by air.

He urged residents to heed the evacuation order: "Those folks' job is to fight fire, not rescue people, and evacuate them after they were told to do it, and refused to do it," Otter said. "I understand private property. I understand you want to protect your property. But, I will guarantee you that nobody is going to go out of their way to get you out of your house, if it isn't necessary."

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Scott Neuman is a reporter and editor, working mainly on breaking news for NPR's digital and radio platforms.