As Bench Lake Fire grows, Idaho families organize fundraiser for Redfish Lake Lodge

Crews have placed hoses and sprinklers throughout the Redfish Lake Lodge area to help protect structures from the Bench Lake Fire. (Courtesy of interagency InciWeb management system)

Families from Idaho’s Wood River Valley have organized an online GoFundMe fundraiser to support the staff and owners of Redfish Lake Lodge while the iconic mountain lodge is closed due to the Bench Lake Fire.

The Bench Lake Fire started July 11 and is burning in the Sawtooth National Forest near Redfish Lake. On July 12, Sawtooth National Recreation Area officials issued emergency closures for the Redfish Lake recreation complex, including the lodge, campgrounds, trails and roads in the area. 

On Tuesday, several Idaho families launched a GoFundMe campaign that is designed to support the staff affected by the closure and help offset financial losses incurred by the families that own and manage Redfish Lake Lodge, according to a news release issued by GoFundMe. 

“The funds will help reimburse employees for housing and food costs during the closure since many of them live in employee housing and eat in the employee ‘chow hall,’” the GoFundMe campaign states. “They will be used to reimburse employees for income and tips not covered by unemployment insurance. The remaining funds will be used to cover losses by the Clegg/Crouch family that are not covered by insurance.”

The GoFundMe campaign was organized by Angela Hansen, Maya Blix, Trini Wysong and Carey Molter, who described themselves in the campaign’s post as a group of Redfish Lake lovers from the Wood River Valley. As of Wednesday morning, the campaign had reported raising more than $20,000. 

The Bench Lake Fire had grown to 1,850 acres as of Wednesday morning, fire officials said. The fire was only 3% contained on Wednesday, according to the interagency InciWeb report. The cause of the fire remained under investigation as of Wednesday morning. 

A community meeting about the Bench Lake Fire is set for 7 p.m. today, July 17, at Stanley Community Building, 500 Eva Falls Ave., in the town of Stanley.

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