Air quality remains unhealthy for sensitive groups in the Idaho Panhandle as wind spreads smoke from area wildfires.

The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality has extended an air pollution warning issued last week.

Air quality is unhealthy for sensitive groups in Boundary, Bonner, Kootenai, Shoshone and Benewah counties. Daily spikes into the unhealthy category are possible.

Children, older adults and people with heart and lung disease are most at risk for health impacts due to smoke.

They should limit prolonged or heavy exertion and limit time spent outdoors.

The warning is extended through Thursday.

Northern Rockies Incident Management Team 2 assumed command of the Character Complex and State Complex fires Monday.

The Character Complex includes the Deceitful and Prichard fires, which are burning north of Kellogg.

Weekend rain was not enough to penetrate the tree canopy, officials said Monday, but lower temperatures and higher humidity helped slow the spread of the Deceitful Fire.

Firefighters continue to run sprinklers near structures and along power lines.

Though the Deceitful Fire crossed a portion of Road 933 at the Bonneville Power Administration power line corridor over the weekend, firefighters stopped the forward spread.

The fire continues to back down in several areas, including Montgomery Gulch Drainage, Landsdale Creek, Cinnabar Creek and the 620 Road.

Meanwhile, the neighboring Prichard Fire continues to burn within containment lines.

To the south, extreme fire activity in the Stateline Complex was tempered by wetting rain and high humidity.

The complex is burning on the St. Joe Ranger District of the Idaho Panhandle National Forests, to the south and west of the Idaho-Montana state line.

Firefighters scouted Monday for opportunities to complete a fire line to provide additional protection for the town of Avery.