Three fires continued to burn Monday, two near Spokane and a third just north of Davenport, Wash., bringing smoke and ash into North Idaho.

According to fire information officers, the Yale Road Fire is located southwest of Valleyford, Wash. As of Monday it had burned 4,000 acres and was zero percent contained. The fire has damaged or destroyed 10 houses and many other buildings, including stores. More than 200 fire personnel have responded to the fire and more are on their way.

The Wellesley Fire, originally called the Beacon Hill Fire, is east of North Freya Street between East Bigelow Gulch Road and East Valley Springs Road. As of Monday, the fire was burning almost 300 acres and was zero percent contained. Two homes have been lost as well as several outbuildings. The fires’ information officer, Alan Hoffmeister, said several hundred fire personnel are responding to the fire.

The Yale Fire and the Wellesley Fire efforts and coordination will be combined this morning and further referred to as the Spokane Complex Fire.

The third fire causing smoke in the Coeur d’Alene area is the Hart Road Fire. According to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, the fire started about 8 miles north of Davenport, Wash., and traveled northeast, jumping the Spokane River into Stevens County. The fire has burned almost 3,000 acres and is zero percent contained. Fifteen buildings, including some houses, have been destroyed.

Due to the smoke and haze caused by the fires, the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality issued an Air Quality Forecast and Caution to notify residents of Bonner, Boundary, Kootenai, Benewah and Shoshone counties of degraded air quality. Air quality currently ranges from “good” to “unhealthy.”

“Smoke and haze can cause eye and throat irritation, coughing, and difficulty breathing,” the Panhandle Health District told The Press in an email Monday. “Older adults, pregnant women, children and those with pre-existing respiratory issues or heart disease are often more affected by these conditions, but healthy adults can also be affected by smoke.”

The Panhandle Health District advises people who can see haze and smell smoke to:

1. Avoid heavy work or exercise outdoors.

2. Set air conditioning units and car vent systems to re-circulate. For homes without a central heating and/or cooling system, use portable air purifiers to remove particles.

3. Limit time outdoors, especially if you have respiratory conditions or heart disease.

4. Drink plenty of water. Staying hydrated helps dilute phlegm in the respiratory tract, making it easier to cough out smoke particles.

5. Seek medical treatment for uncontrolled coughing, wheezing, choking, or if you have difficulty breathing once you move back indoors.

Updates on air quality by the DEQ can be found at http://airquality.deq.idaho.gov.