COEUR d'ALENE - Randy Mann has seen the highs and lows of every Ironman Coeur d'Alene, but he's not talking about the emotional peaks and valleys of this ultra-demanding event.

He's talking about the weather.

Mann, meteorologist for The Press, said since Ironman began in 2003, there have been only two years when temperatures climbed above the 80-degree mark. On June 29, 2003, it was 87 degrees. On June 25, 2006, readings reached into the mid-80s near the downtown area to the low 90s in the outlying areas. It was 92 degrees at climatologist Cliff Harris' station on that date. Both of those scorchers are almost guaranteed to melt this Sunday, when highs near 106 are being forecast by various weather services.

By contrast, the coolest morning start for an Ironman Coeur d'Alene was 46 degrees on June 23, 2013. Last year was warm with some showers as .03 inches was measured, Mann said. And in 2009, on June 21, the high was only 58 degrees with .13 inches of rainfall. Sounds pretty good now, doesn't it?

Fire danger status has been elevated to high this week and outside burning has been shut down in Shoshone County as triple-digit temperatures are expected this weekend.

Nine-year Shoshone Fire District 1 Chief Jim Walcker, who was raised in the Silver Valley, said Wednesday that this year's fire season is shaping up to be the driest he has seen here. Looking ahead, Walcker voiced some concern about the fireworks that accompany the upcoming Independence Day holiday and said he recommends against using them.

"If a person starts a fire, they will be financially responsible for it," he pointed out.

The Idaho Department of Lands is warning of an above normal fire season forecasted for northern Idaho, but specified Tuesday that campfires in a designated fire-pit are still allowed.

The IDL attributes low snowpack and low soil moisture to creating conditions in May and June that fire managers do not usually see until July, and the department announced Tuesday that burning permits will no longer be issued until a significant change in the weather occurs. Campfires in a designated fire-pit are still allowed.