COEUR d'ALENE - North Idaho may set fire-suppression records this year, with firefighters already dropping 860,000 gallons of retardant on wildfires.

According to Jason Kirchner, a spokesman for the Idaho Panhandle National Forest, the annual average for the past 10 years has been 150,000 gallons. That amount was exceeded in June alone. The total thus far is only 120,000 gallons of fire retardant short of the record set in 1967.

"We have never dropped over a million gallons in one year," Kirchner said. "This year might be that year."

Currently every available firefighter in North Idaho is working to attack an estimated 35 small lightning-sparked wildfires burning throughout the Idaho Panhandle.

Although most fires are less than an acre, the number of fires and their remote locations are making suppression efforts difficult and necessitate temporary road and trail closures to ensure public safety, Kirchner said.

One of the most problematic fires is burning in the upper reaches of the North Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River. The 40-acre fire is called the North Grizzly Fire and is zero percent contained.

"These lightning-caused fires are burning in high and remote areas, which are difficult to attack," he said, adding that is why they need to close some of the nearby trails and roads temporarily.

In the Coeur d'Alene River Ranger District, closures include Forest Service Roads 260, 959, 993, 994, 1568 and Forest Service Trails 807 and 807A in the Indian Creek area due to the North Grizzly Fire.

The Bennet Peak Fire is only 3 acres in size, but is also in difficult terrain and has necessitated the closure of Forest Service Road 602, which is known as the Little Guard Road that accesses the Little Guard Lookout Tower.

"We had some people staying in the tower, and while we didn't actually have to evacuate them, we did inform them of the fire," Kirchner said. "They chose to leave voluntarily."

Forest Service Trail 81 along Shoshone Ridge is closed due to the Bennet Peak Fire, which is also zero percent contained.

The Mabel Creek Fire near St. Maries, currently at 90 acres, will be a little easier to tackle, Kirchner said.

"We have dozer cutting fire line up there," he said. "We have a lot of access to that fire, so hopefully we can pinch it off quickly."

In the Bonners Ferry Ranger District, the Parker Ridge Fire has resulted in trail closures for the Parker Ridge Trail 221 and the Fisher Peak Trail. The Parker Ridge Fire is the largest fire currently burning in the IPNF. This fire is 1,200 acres and is zero percent contained.

There were 76 personnel fighting that fire as of Thursday afternoon.

"Concern for firefighters' and the public's safety remains the No. 1 priority and continues to guide all management actions," officials said in the latest update on that fire. "Structure and private timber protection remain a high importance."

Two state agencies issue air quality warnings statewide on Thursday, urging people to pay attention to the amount of time they spend outdoors in the smoky weather.

They urged Idaho residents to stay hydrated and refrain from strenuous activities in the hot smoky weather.

Dry weather is another concern, with red flag warnings across the entire Inland Northwest. Severe thunderstorms and high winds are predicted through Friday evening, according to the National Weather service.

A 20 percent chance of rain is expected today, with less than one-tenth of an inch of rain expected. Potentially damaging winds as strong as 35 miles per hour are also expected by late afternoon. The skies will be mostly cloudy with isolated thunderstorms throughout the day.

"Looking ahead at the weather does concern us," Kirchner said. "But we are prepared for it. We have hundreds of firefighters out there."

Nearly every wildland firefighter in North Idaho is currently engaged in fighting one or more of the 35 fires currently burning in the area, he said.

Firefighters are prioritizing and working to contain each fire as quickly and as safely as possible. Since Monday, firefighters have already responded to and contained or put out more than 20 new fires.