Vandals Cause Thousands in Damage to Fish Creek Campground

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - Sometime in early March a group of people vandalized the Fish Creek Day Use Park and ski parking lot near Grangeville, Idaho, both with a bonfire and by shooting up the restrooms at the park.

Cyrus Forman, Public Affairs Officer on the Nez Perce Clearwater National Forest located in North Central Idaho explained what officials discovered at the site that had apparently occurred over the weekend of March 2 and 3.

The Forest Service Found Significant Vandalism at the Campground

“We discovered significant levels of vandalism in the Fish Creek day-use parking area, which is one of the most popular areas in our forest right outside of the city of Grangeville,” began Forman. “It's an area where people go for cross-country skiing, where we have a network of about eight miles of trails there. It's also a snowmobile area and then it's really popular hiking picnicking and camping area in the summer.”

Forman described some of the specific vandalism and the resulting damage to the area.

“A group of people had decided to have a bonfire in the parking lot there on the asphalt and they burned a lot of household trash and materials that really aren't meant to be burned leaving behind garbage, nails, metal, and tires,” he said. “It burned to the level of intensity that there was significant damage to the tune of approximately $5,000 just to the asphalt.”

Firearms were also used to Shoot up the Rest Room Facilities

Forman said during the bonfire, firearms were used to shoot up parts of the campground.

“At some point, while they were having their bonfire, they used both a large caliber rifle and a nine-millimeter handgun to shoot up the outhouse there,” he said. “We are trying to find any leads. If the public has any information, I’d really like it if they could contact me so that we could investigate any leads that people might have to help us find out more about who was responsible for damaging this property that belongs to all of us and that is important for the visitor experience.”

READ MORE: Bitterroot National Forest Needs Campground Hosts This Summer

Anyone with information is asked to Call the Number Below

See the photos attached to the story to see the damage done by the bonfire and the firearms.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Cyrus Forman via email at Cyrus.Forman@usda.gov, or call Forman at 208-935-4273.

Forman encouraged listeners and website readers to reach out with any concerns to help ‘create a culture that involves people in the stewardship of their public lands.’

It is not known if the damage was significant enough to keep visitors from using the parking lot.