Don't mind if you spot smoke heaving up toward the sky over the next several weeks.

Contrary to what instincts tell you, it's there to prevent your house from burning to rubble.

To complement Kootenai County wildfire prevention efforts, Idaho Panhandle National Forests is conducting prescribed burns throughout the fall on acreage east of Coeur d'Alene, Dalton Gardens and Hayden Lake.

The sizzling could start as early as today on 500 acres east of Hayden Lake, and on another 450 acres nine miles east of Coeur d'Alene.

"These kinds of projects serve many purposes, especially close to town like this," said Jason Kirchner, National Forests spokesman.

Primarily the fire gobbles up overgrown vegetation, he explained, reducing fuel for wildfires and improving firefighters' odds in battling them.

The contrived conflagration also beefs up forest soil and vegetation, he said, which improves water quality.

"All the benefits that maybe aren't as apparent that really help our wildlife," Kirchner said. "A healthy forest provides clean water."

Some rural houses will be within a quarter mile of the burns, he said, but residents will be given fair warning with signs posted along access roads and near affected trailheads.

"If they do have sensitivity to smoke, we encourage them to give our offices a call, we'll notify them for sure," he advised, adding that such individuals might want to avoid these areas during burn operations.

Subdivisions will be many miles away, Kirchner said.

The prescribed burns are part of ongoing efforts to mimic the effect of naturally occurring fires on several thousand acres in the area, Kirchner said, which is expected to continue over the next three to five years.

"We're going to get as much done as we can," he said, adding that the agency can only burn on days with specific weather conditions, not too wet or too dry.

The Kootenai County Emergency Planning Committee will be tag teaming these efforts by developing large fuel break zones along Lake Coeur d'Alene next year, said Sandy Von Behren with the committee.

The county is receiving a $165,000 grant from the Idaho Department of Lands to remove heavy under brush, Von Behren said, with the aim of improving access to evacuation routes.

"The area we'll be focusing on is the east and west sides of Lake Coeur d'Alene, where a lot of new construction is occurring," Von Behren said.

The work will be done primarily on private and state property, she said.

Wildfires aren't unlikely in this area, Von Behren pointed out, with the combination of campfires, vandals and lightning.

Individuals can help curb any spontaneous flames, she added, by creating defensible space around their properties.

For more information, call the Emergency Planning Committee office at 446-1779.

The IPNF can be reached at 765-7223.

"Wildland fire is a real threat to Kootenai County," Von Behren said. "It's a very high risk that people need to take precautions against, especially during this time of year."