Cause of destructive northern Idaho wildfire undetermined

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — State officials in a report released Friday say the exact cause or person responsible for a northern Idaho wildfire that destroyed nine homes remains undetermined.

Much of the 20-page report by the Idaho Department of Lands on the 2015 Cape Horn Fire near Bayview focuses on two women campers on a small beach on the shore of Lake Pend Oreille near where the fire started.

Officials say one of the women shot off two flares during a windstorm on the morning of July 5 and one flare blew back onto land. But officials say an analysis of material found at the fire origin didn't match flare material.

One of the women reported that on July 4 she observed boats offshore shooting fireworks.

The fire burned about 2 square miles and cost at least $5.6 million to fight.

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