Emergency Service
Fire Ravages Youth Ranch Warehouse
July 18, 2022 
Fire broke out about 1:30 p.m. Monday at the Idaho Youth Ranch warehouse on Irving Street, pouring thick black smoke into the sky visible for miles.
The GUARDIAN had just finished lunch nearby and responded to the fire long before Boise Fire units arrived. It turned out to be at least a three alarm fire with 3 battalion chiefs, 3 ladder trucks, 9 engines, and assorted support vehicles on scene.
Here are exclusive GUARDIAN photos.
High ambient temperatures as well as the intense heat from the fire caused firefighters to rotate assignments and “rehab” to prevent heat stroke. There were at least three Ada County EMS ambulances on scene, but no injuries were reported so far.
To insure more advertising-free Boise Guardian news, please consider financial support.
Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Jul 18, 2022, 6:41 pm
Johnny on the spot!
Bet that got those ol’ photojournal juices flowin’…
Great shots!
Someone must’ve dropped off some really hot items!
Jul 18, 2022, 7:03 pm
Dang! That sucks.
Lunch nearby? Visiting old friends at the Statesman?
The Youth Ranch- there’s a racket.
Jul 18, 2022, 7:05 pm
I bicycled past at 10:30 or so this morning, on the north-south bike path just to the east. When I went by, there was a hodge-podge of dilapidated motor homes, trailers, broken-down vehicles, etc. on Phillippi, all stuffed to the gills with “treasures.” Most looked like they weren’t about to go anyplace… at least quickly. That probably didn’t help.
We live probably 2 miles away, downwind. That was some toxic, nasty-smmelling smoke.
Jul 19, 2022, 4:44 pm
Bikeboy:
I rode my bike in that general area last week; noticed the ‘unhoused’ people on Phillipi near Gage. I’m guessing the propane tanks the news media and BFD reported were a concern were from the ‘campers’. I noticed one tank laying on its side next to a ‘motor home’ when I rode by.
Jul 20, 2022, 8:57 am
I may be off the mark but here goes. From what I’ve seen, quite a few folks see the Youth Ranch as a place to dump their garbage. However, I don’t mean to demean the Youth Ranch and the genuine donors. So I guess it goes with the territory. Hostile fire, too bad.
EDITOR NOTE–The big attraction for donating to the Youth Ranch is a tax CREDIT on your Idaho income tax. You are allowed to reduce your tax bill owed by the value of your donation up to a limit. That comes from the bottom line as opposed to a DEDUCTION which only reduces your income.
Jul 20, 2022, 11:25 am
Editor, you might mention that a person does not get that credit for for donations to Deseret Industries, or Goodwill or most of the other similar thrift stores. They have a racket going on there for Idaho taxpayers to subsidize their donations and their luxurious paid staff employees not the ones in the stores but their managers. Unchallenged and no questions asked by the state.
Jul 21, 2022, 2:15 pm
Deseret Industries is operated by a religious organization.
Goodwill and other Thrift Stores (including St. Vincent de Paul) obviously don’t have the same ‘juice’ (aka lobbyists) as the Youth Ranch.
BUT, the Youth Ranch is very public about the citizens it helps through various programs. Not certain who is directly helped by the other organizations.
Jul 29, 2022, 5:00 pm
Was it a cigarette?
Aug 1, 2022, 10:24 am
Good point Western Guy, for some other thrift stores being operated by a church. Others ought to be allowed to level the playing field.