Character Complex fire holds steady
KAYE THORNBRUGH | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 5 years, 2 months AGO
Kaye Thornbrugh is a second-generation Kootenai County resident who has been with the Coeur d’Alene Press for six years. She primarily covers Kootenai County’s government, as well as law enforcement, the legal system and North Idaho College. | July 23, 2021 1:00 AM
KELLOGG — Though crews have made significant progress fighting the Prichard Fire, difficult terrain continues to complicate direct attacks on the neighboring Deceitful Fire.
The two fires make up the Character Complex, which has burned more than 4,400 acres north of the Silver Valley so far.
As of late Thursday, the Prichard fire is 40% contained — four times as much as the day before.
“We’re making good progress,” Operations Section Chief Keith Brink said Thursday.
As the fire continues to back downhill, toward West Fork Eagle Creek, fuels are burning out within control lines.
Meanwhile, the Deceitful Fire remains 0% contained.
Brink said crews are working to slow the spread of the fire to the south, toward Moon Pass.
Officials have also requested personnel and equipment from the Northern Rockies Coordination Center, a support center for mobilizing wildland firefighting resources in the Northern Rockies area, which includes North Idaho.
Crews have completed large segments of indirect line around the perimeter of the Deceitful Fire.
An indirect line is a fire line placed a distance away from the edge of a blaze, with the goal of removing or reducing flammable materials that allow a fire to intensify or spread.
When burning fuel contains some moisture, dropping water or aircraft retardant on them can suppress the fire enough for ground forces to move in.
But the fuels in the Character Complex are so dry that such measures only temporarily decrease fire behavior.
Recent rainfall was accompanied by the strongest winds seen so far on the Character Complex, officials said Thursday, as well as cloud to ground lightning. Gusts could continue to affect fire behavior.
Though air quality remains good in the Coeur d’Alene area, it’s unhealthy for sensitive groups in and around Sandpoint.
Northeast of Sandpoint, the Trestle Creek Complex fire has burned more than 400 acres so far. It’s about 31% contained as of late Thursday.
Trestle Creek Road has been closed above the Huckleberry Campground.
Additionally, Lightning Creek Road has been closed just above the junction of Rattle Creek Road and Lightning Creek Road.
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