HAYDEN - The dry winter and a grass fire that spread rapidly have firefighters warning of fire danger at an odd time - February instead of June.

A slash pile burn that quickly turned into a 2-acre grass fire in the area of Hayden and Baack avenues in Hayden on Sunday afternoon has responders warning residents to use extreme caution even though spring hasn't sprung.

"It was scary for us to learn how fast it spread with the breeze," said Jim Lyon, Northern Lakes Fire District spokesman. "It was whoof - and we were off to the races."

The fire threatened homes and caused an estimated $3,000 worth of damage to a vinyl fence before fire crews contained the blaze.

Lyon said it's too early to tell how bad wildfire season will be in North Idaho this summer, especially if there's a wet spring, but current conditions and residents doing yard work have firefighters on alert. Rain expected for this week should help some, but it will likely only be a temporary fix, he said.

Even with frost still in the grass, Lyon said, the blaze in Hayden spread like wildfire.

A homeowner used a weed-burner to ignite old grass clippings behind his home, and the situation rapidly got out of control. Flames reached 6 to 8 feet in height, Lyon said.

"Fire crews on scene were surprised to report the fire conditions were similar to those often found during the hottest and driest months of the year," he said.

Lyon said a fire line at the scene was a perfect example of how fast fire can spread in areas with dry grass fuels compared to areas that had been mowed last fall.

"Photos taken on scene indicated the positive effect of maintaining properties for fire defense," he said.

Those who burn should have tools and a water source nearby to extinguish a fire in case they lose control of the fire. Residents should also check with their local fire department on burn regulations or permits to burn.