A smattering of rain and a break in the relentless dusty wind allowed fire crews to get a potentially dangerous 50-acre fire in Rathdrum under control Saturday.

Northern Lakes Fire District public information officer Jim Lyon reported that heavy winds knocked trees into live power lines, which started the fire at 23800 N. Ramsey Road, about a mile south of Brunner Road. The fire began midday and was quickly heading in a northeasterly direction and swirling because of winds with gusts of more than 40 miles per hour.

"We had some pretty extreme fire behavior at that time," Lyon said late Saturday afternoon. "It definitely kicked right up into the trees and everything. There was some fear of it crossing Ramsey but at this time I think Brunner and Ramsey are blocking the fire."

No structures were lost, but Lyon said one house was threatened and fire crews set a dozer line around it for protection. He said Silverwood owner Gary Norton used his private helicopter to allow representatives from the Idaho Department of Lands an aerial view of the fire. A reverse-911 emergency call was sent out to residents east of U.S. 95 and north of Silverwood, but Lyon said there was no evacuation threat as of Saturday afternoon once the fire was more manageable. The 60 people fighting the fire had it under control by about 5 p.m. Ramsey and Brunner were closed for a time while the fire was contained.

"They feel that they've got it," he said. "That rain that came through helped."

Fires continue to rage throughout North Idaho as residents endure poor air quality, dust storm warnings and other weather advisories. The 15,703-acre, lightning-caused Grizzly Complex fires that have been burning since Aug. 10 between Enaville and Murray north and east of the North Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River drainage are still going and are zero percent contained, but they were not affected by Saturday's winds.

"We don't have anything significant to report on the Grizzly Complex fire at this time," said Shoshana Cooper, acting public affairs officer for Idaho Panhandle National Forests.

Despite Mother Nature's raging blazes and attacks on North Idaho residents' eyes, noses and lungs, the North Idaho Fair and Rodeo has not seen a drop in attendance and will finish strong today. Kootenai County Fairgrounds marketing and resource development director Ty Thomas said it has actually been a record-breaking year for fair attendance.

"All the wind has stopped and it's looking like we have blue skies moving in," Thomas said. The smoke has definitely settled from the wind and the dust is beginning to dissipate.

The fair will open today at 9 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. The carnival will have all the rides running and will operate from noon to 8 p.m.

For up-to-date information about Idaho wildfires, visit http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/state/13/.