Citizens asked to stay out of forest

COEUR d’ALENE — With dozens of wildfires burning throughout the region, Idaho Panhandle National Forest officials are strongly discouraging all recreational activities within the national forests until conditions improve.

The fire conditions have now been officially elevated to “Extreme,” the highest possible threat level. While the Stage II fire restrictions are still in place, an official closure of the forests is a last step available to forest officials if they need to take additional action to protect citizens and the forest.

“Although the forest is not closed to the public, due to the unusually large amount of fire activity, I want to encourage visitors to avoid the forest if they can while our firefighters and their equipment work to contain the many fires across the landscape,” Idaho Panhandle National Forest Supervisor Mary Farnsworth said in a press release Saturday.

Hundreds of lightning strikes followed by high winds this week have created more widespread wildfire within the Idaho Panhandle National Forests than seen since 1967.

More than 100 new fires have been reported this week ranging from small fires that are less than an acre, to fires that are several thousand acres in size.

“Firefighters from all agencies are cooperating to prioritize fires, share resources, and work to extinguish the blazes as quickly as possible,” the release said. “The highest priority fires are those that are threatening life or property.”

Saturday firefighters and aircraft were focused on containing known blazes while assessing the total number of fires and locations following high winds on Friday and Saturday.

Some of the largest and most active fires as of Saturday:

Parker Ridge Fire, seven miles southwest of Porthill in Boundary County, has grown to more than 6,500 acres and is zero percent contained

Marble Creek Fire is now 620 acres in size, but it is 50 percent contained. It is burning near St. Joe Road.

North Grizzly Fire, in a remote region northwest of Prichard, is now 335 acres and is making significant runs to the east and northeast.

Not Creative Fire grew to 120 acres. Crews are working to line fire on the northeast and western flanks of the fire by digging handlines and dozer lines to keep and hold the fire on ridge above Rose Lake. Residents encouraged to register with Kootenai County Sheriff for emergency notification at http://kcsheriff.com.

Scotchman’s Peak Fire is now at 650 acres near Sandpoint, and the IPNF has issued a closure of trail systems in the area.

Tower Fire grew extensively to 2,000 acres in Idaho. This fire started in Washington’s Colville National Forest. It is visible from Priest Lake as the fire moved east of South Baldy Mountain. It is burning in heavy timber and downfall.

Big Lost Fire is at 1,280 acres and is burning east of Potlatch near Hwy 6.

Nine additional fires were discovered Friday. Most were only a couple of acres in size as of Saturday afternoon; two fires are significantly larger. The Whitetail Peak Fire is burning over 100 acres in the headwaters of the North Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River drainage and closed Trail 20 near Jordan Camp. And the Upper Priest Fire is at 70 acres and actively burning causing many closures in that area as well.

If residents must use the forest in the coming days, they are strongly encouraged to call ahead and get the most current information on active fires. A temporary fire information center has been established at (208) 765-7383. Additional information can be found by visiting http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/.