▶️ Listen to this article now.

HOPE — Crews continue efforts to open roads — and access — to fight the Trestle Creek Complex fires.

The fire, which is burning in timber and brush, has consumed 4,116 acres. There is active, isolated torching and crowning with short crown runs on the fire, which is located about 4 miles north of Hope, said Jess Harvey, public information officer for the Nevada Type 3 Incident Management Team 3 overseeing the complex.

Firefighters are using heavy equipment to open Road 1082 between the main fire and homes in the Trestle Creek area. On the west side of the fire, crews are continuing work to open the Trout Creek Road system on the west side of Trestle Ridge to access access to that area of the complex.

In conjunction with the Sam Owen Fire Department, crews are implementing a structure protection plan for homes in the area. Those efforts include deploying pumps, hose, and sprinkler systems to protect private residences, Harvey said.

Hotter weather and decreased humidity are expected over the next 24 hours, fire officials said on InciWeb, an interagency fire tracking website. That combination could result in an increase in fire activity, torching and spotting on the fire. Winds are predicted from the northeast — which could push the fire toward homes in the Trestle Creek, Trout Creek and Flume Creek areas.

"The last northeast wind event contributed to long-range spotting, considerable fire spread and evacuation of 50 residents in Trestle Creek," Harvey said in the InciWeb post.

A high pressure ridge is expected to begin breaking down today, causing an increase in winds. In addition, a cold front passage predicted to hit the area late Sunday is expected to bring gusty northwest winds, followed by cooler temperatures on Monday and a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.

A total of 114 personnel are assigned to the fire, including a hand crew, eight engines and two dozers, three feller bunchers, two excavators, a forwarder and two water tenders.

Homes previously at "Ready" status were downgraded to "Set" status on Friday afternoon. Affected roads are Rapid Lightning (from Wellington North), Wellington, Vandyke, Trapper Creek, Trapper Creek Spur, Stove, Box Canyon, High, Rising Hawk Ridge roads, Dragon Drive, Moon Fire, Hidden Forest Way, Stellar Drive, Legacy Lane, Ice Creek Forest Lane, Early Breakfast Creek, Barbary Trail, Dads Garden Lane, Snowshoe Ridge, Laid Back Drive, Cross Mountain, Holly Berry, Flume Creek, Little Flume Creek, Dunn Creek, Out Of The Woods, Trout Creek, Trestle Creek, Winds Way, Lightning Ridge, Shady Acres Lanem Two Creeks Hollow, Trout Creek Ranch, Star Ridge, Trestle Creek Lane, Thunder Alley and Char Lane.

Fire has not reached private property on any flank, and fire managers will continue to work with the Bonner County Sheriff and Emergency Management on increasing or decreasing evacuation zones, Nevada IMT3 officials said.

Trestle Creek Road has been closed at Highway 200 and Lightning Creek Road remains closed north of Clark Fork. Residents are asked to stay out of these areas and to not go past any closure barriers.

In other major fires in the region:

Stateline Complex

The Stateline Complex consists of numerous fires burning on the Idaho Panhandle National Forests. All told the fires have burned 11,377 acres and are 21% combined.

The largest of the fires in the complex are the Tumbledown Fire, which has burned 9,301 acres and is 20% contained; and the Dolly Creek Fire, which has burned 854 acres and is 81% contained.

Crews continued to make headway on the Tumbledown Fire through the construction of direct and indirect firelines. Firefighters continue to monitor, hold, and secure contained sections of fireline and designated initial attack resources will be available to assist local forest crews if the need arises.

Character Complex

The Character Complex — comprised of the Deceitful and Prichard fires — has burned 8,731 acres and is 37% contained.

The Deceitful Fire is nearly to the Coeur d’Alene River Road. However, ignition operations have helped secure a fireline, and crews are actively mopping up the area, fire officials said on InciWeb. Firefighters are also advancing an ignition operation from White Peak east to the BPA powerline.

A structure crews loaned to the Haystack Fire for initial attack have returned to the Deceitful Fire and are continuing to test their equipment and are positioned to respond as needed.

"With slightly higher temperatures and lower humidities compared to yesterday, fire behavior could pick up earlier in the day than it has in days prior, but wind speeds are anticipated to be relatively low," officials noted on the website.

The Deceitful Fire — the larger of the two fires — has burned 7,224 acres and is 15% contained. The Prichard Fire has burned 1,342 acres and is 100% contained.

On the Deceitful Fire, firefighters continue to focus on building direct and indirect lines to increase containment. Thursday, crews more tightly secured the area west of Beaver Creek Road where ignition operations occurred on Tuesday. A structure crew removed sprinklers from the Cedar Creek area, which is a positive indication of progress, officials said.

Fire personnel continue to patrol the Character Ridge, and anticipate that area being secure enough to remove hose lays in the near future.

South Yaak Fire

Detected on July 13, the South Yaak Fire has burned 10,500 acres and is 37% contained. Burning in timbered, steep terrain approximately 4 miles northwest of Troy, the fire is under the command of Great Basin Type 2 Incident Management Team 5.

The fire continues to present a challenge due to steep terrain, difficult access, and critically dry vegetation. It is likely to burn for some time until significant moisture covers the fire area, fire officials said on InciWeb.

Team 5 is also managing the Burnt Peak Fire and resources will be shared between the fires. Due to a fire camp located adjacent to Highway 56, south of the junction with Highway 2, motorists traveling through the area should use caution as fire vehicles and heavy equipment are likely to be entering and exiting the roadway.

Moderate to active fire behavior is expected on the north and east flanks of the fire. An increase in forecasted winds could allow for wind-driven escalation of fire behavior. Torching, uphill runs, and spotting could be possible with possible short crown runs, officials said.

Burnt Peak Fire

Located 9 miles southwest of Troy, the fire is 36% contained and has burned 3,730 acres. Moderate fire behavior has been observed with torching, flanking, and backing due to current weather conditions.

Fire growth is expected today with a forecasted record high in the triple digits for the lowlands and low humidity values. However, some relief should come by Sunday afternoon with cloud cover and somewhat cooler temperatures, officials said.

Thursday, the fire’s edge reached NFS Road 4509A in Benning Creek. Firefighters were able utilize a hostly to assist with mop-up and direct suppression in the Benning Creek drainage. Officials said while the fire's north edge continues to back down the slope toward North Fork Keeler Creek, a containment line on the northeast side of Pony Mountain is complete.

The region's warming and drying weather conditions are expected to expand the uncontained fire perimeter toward the north, officials said.

For information on fire restriction, the Ready, Set, Go evacuation program, Idaho Firewise and more, go online to idahofireinfo.com .