Gains grow on area fires

Containment on area fires is up and firefighters are making strides on a number of fronts.

Also, thanks to recent rains and lower temperatures, fire danger is down in the region, prompting land managers to move from Stage II to Stage I fire restrictions in the five northern counties beginning at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday.

Buckskin 2 Fire

The Buckskin 2 continues to show no growth, as a smoldering interior has allowed crews to improve a direct line along the fire's west flank.

Located 1.8 miles from the nearest structure, management of the Buckskin 2 Fire was handed back to the Sandpoint Ranger District last week.

There are 69 personnel assigned to the fire, including an engine, two hand crews, two firefighter modules and a water tender. Containment of the fire is at 85%.

Ridge Creek Fire

Work on both primary and contingency fire lines continues as the Ridge Creek Fire show little fire growth over the past day, U.S. Forest Service officials said in a daily update on the fire.

An infrared flight provided information on heat sources, and that data will be used to find and extinguish those areas, officials said.

Road and line improvement efforts continue on the fire's east side, with resources available to ensure that mitigation measures are in place as smoldering and creeping fire behavior persists. On the fire's north side, where rocky terrain presents challenges, crews are working to identify areas where they can gain more direct access to the fire.

On the west side of the Ridge Creek Fire, a fireline has been established to prevent the fire's spread. Also, mechanical treatment and hand crews are snagging hazard trees and chipping in the area.

Officials said helicopters are making water drops in key areas to reduce heat and extinguish fire where needed.

Evacuation levels in the Bunco area remain at "Set," meaning residents should have a plan and be prepared to implement it if things change.

The fire has burned an estimated 4,359 acres and is 32% contained. There are 471 personnel assigned to the fire as well as numerous heavy equipment and engines.

Oregon Fire

The strategy on the Oregon Fire remains full suppression as firefighters continue to work on containment, mop-up and suppression repair.

Major sections of the fire are transitions to patrol status as crews continue 24-hour operations in a bid to further aid residents' return to their properties.

Air resources continue to assist with hot spot detection and reconnaissance on the east flank of the fire, officials said.

Firefighters continue to make improvements to containment lines on the north, northeastern and eastern flanks of the fire.

The fire's western, northern, and southern flanks are being patrolled with crews ready to respond as hot spots are located.

Level 1, or "Ready," and Level 2, or "Set" evacuation zones remain in effect on the fire area.

The fire has burned an estimated 10,898 acres in northern Spokane County and a small area in southern Pend Oreille County. There are 653 personnel assigned to the fire as well as 43 engines, six bulldozers, 15 water tenders, a helicopter and other assorted resources.

The fire is 44% contained.

Gray Fire

Heavy fire-related traffic continues around the Gray Fire, which has burned an estimated 10,085 acres in the Medical Lake, Wash., area.

Wildland fire crews are working to extinguish remaining hot spots around homes and other structures. They also completed a systematic search for hotspots along the fire's perimeter, I-90, and other roads.

Perimeters around over 1,300 structures have been checked for hot spots as of Sunday evening, officials said. Excavators were employed to increase efficiency of the suppression of larger heat sources, such as deeply rooted stumps that were smoldering, further increasing the pace “mop up” can be completed.

The fire is 85% contained with 461 personnel assigned to the fire as are 41 engines, two dozers, 12 water tenders and other assorted equipment.

Fire restrictions

Fire restrictions act to reduce preventable fires where they’re implemented.

Under the Stage I fire restrictions, the following are prohibited:

• Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire, or stove fire except within a designated recreation site, or on one’s own land, and only within an owner-provided fire structure.

• Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle, building, or designated recreation site. Or while stopped in an area with at least a three to feet in diameter area that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials.

Exemptions include a written permit and using a fire fuels by liquid petroleum or LPG fuels (in areas cleared of flammable materials).

The change to Stage I fire restrictions encompasses the Coeur d’Alene Dispatch Zone, which includes all state, state endowment, federal, tribal, and private forestland and rangeland in Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Kootenai and Shoshone counties. The zone also includes National Forest System lands in Washington and Montana, which are administered by the Idaho Panhandle National Forests.

Fire restrictions are coordinated by agencies managing lands or providing wildland fire protection in the area, including the Bureau of Land Management, the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, Idaho Department of Lands, the U.S. Forest Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

While campfires allowed in permanent fire rings on designated recreation sites and private land, hunters and recreationists are still urged to use caution. They should never leave a campfire unattended and it should be cold to the touch before leaving.

For information on area fire restrictions, go online to Idaho Department of Lands, idl.idaho.gov. For information on area fires, go online to inciweb.nwcg.gov.