As the Character Complex fire continues to grow, weather conditions are primed for new fires and rapid spread.

The National Weather Service issued a fire weather watch through Wednesday morning for the north and central Idaho Panhandle.

Isolated to scattered thunderstorms are expected today and tomorrow morning.

Character Complex fire

Burning north of Kellogg, the Character Complex fire is on the Coeur d’Alene River Ranger District of the Idaho Panhandle National Forests.

The complex is comprised of the Deceitful and Prichard fires.

It’s burned more than 4,000 acres since lightning strikes ignited it earlier this month.

As of Monday afternoon, the Character Complex fire was 0% contained, with 370 personnel working on the fires.

There is a temporary flight restriction over the fire area. Do not fly unmanned aircraft or drones in the fire vicinity.

Deceitful fire

Burning in a heavily timbered, inaccessible area, the Deceitful fire is about 2,900 acres.

No structures were lost as of Monday, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

West of the fire area, crews built an indirect line from Graham Mountain to the North Fork Coeur d’Alene River. An indirect line is a fire line placed a distance away from the fire edge.

Fire crews with masticators and dozers are improving an indirect line along the trail system from Graham Mountain toward White Creek Saddle.

Prichard fire

The fire continues to back downhill toward West Fork Eagle Creek.

Fire crews have implemented direct and indirect firefighting tactics, officials said Monday, including several successful burnout operations.

A burnout operation removes the unburned fuel between a containment line and the fire edge. This allows better control over the intensity of a fire against the containment line.

Two hotshot crews and two initial attack crews worked overnight from Sunday to Monday to accelerate line construction and overall containment from Avery Saddle toward West Fork Eagle Creek.

Heavy equipment is working to reduce fuels along existing roads near the fire’s western and northern perimeter, toward the Bobtail Fire burn scar.

The fire has burned about 1,100 acres so far.

Evacuations and closures

The Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office has placed residents around Prichard and Murray in Level 1 evacuation readiness status.

That means residents should have a three-day supply of food and water ready, as well as other emergency materials. They should have a plan in place for any pets or livestock, as well as a plan on where they will evacuate.

Residents at Eagle Creek and West Fork Eagle Creek Roads are at Level 2. This means they should be prepared to evacuate, with vehicles fueled and ready to go.

Fire managers and SCSO have prepared a population protection plan for both fire areas.

SCSO has closed Eagle Creek Road, Montgomery Ridge Road and Bobtail Road at Prichard Creek.

North Idaho remains under Stage 2 fire restrictions.