What a difference a few days make.

From a fast-growing wildfire that doubled in size roughly every 24 hours, the Sunset Fire in southern Bonner County has stabilized at 3,208 acres, thanks to moderate temperatures and the hard work of the 700 personnel assigned to the blaze. The fire is 11% contained.

“All in all, a successful day, a successful few days,” Northern Rockies Operations Section Chief Greg Shenk said in a video update. “We do have an uptick in temperatures and our relative humidities are dropping down, but we’re having some good success on the ground.”

Northern Rockies officials warned that the combination of rising temperatures and lower humidity could lead to increased fire activity.

On the fire’s southern flank, Shenk said the blaze has been “parked” in the same position for the past three to four days, giving firefighters a chance to mop up the area. The labor-intensive operation involves extinguishing or removing burning fuels near control lines.

Other crews are building fire line near the mountain rim above Lake Pend Oreille, with aircraft supporting firefighters with water drops. Shenk said he anticipates crews will complete the line within a few days and then transition into mop-up mode.

As with the southern flank, Northern Rockies officials said the fire’s western edge remains unchanged, with no growth.

“There has been no progression to the west, and we don’t anticipate that happening in the future,” Shenk said.

Firefighters are engaging the blaze near Maiden Creek, supported by aerial water drops. Fire line along the edge was expected to be completed by Thursday evening, allowing crews to begin mop-up operations Friday.

Shenk said crews are finding success as they directly engage the fire on Blacktail Mountain, with seven to eight crews — including hotshot and Type 2 teams — backed by aerial resources.

The natural geography of the area, including a large rock outcropping on the north side of Maiden Creek, has helped crews halt the fire’s growth and prevent further progression on the western flank.

A structure protection unit on the fire’s northern flank near Talache is assessing buildings in the area.

“They’re getting a pulse on what those look like, and if the fire does progress toward the structures and we need to figure out how to protect them, we’ve got a plan there,” Shenk said.

Aerial resources — including water scoopers and helicopters — will continue to assist firefighting efforts with water drops on the southern, western and northern flanks to support crews on the ground. With scoopers pulling water from Lake Pend Oreille, boaters are asked to avoid the lake’s western shore near the fire to give aircraft room to operate.

Evacuations remain in place throughout southern Bonner County. The Bonner County Sheriff’s Office has updated the list of roads under “Set” and “Go” status as part of the Ready-Set-Go evacuation protocol. “Ready” means residents should have an evacuation plan; “Set” means they should begin implementing that plan; and “Go” means residents should leave immediately and head to safety.

Near Clark Fork, the Idaho Panhandle National Forest resumed management of the Lightning Creek Fire on Monday. The fire, which has burned about 2,515 acres since a lightning strike ignited it on July 30, is 25% contained.

Fire activity remains minimal, with creeping and smoldering in isolated areas.

A temporary flight restriction is in place over the Sunset Fire, prohibiting all drones and aircraft from operating in the area without permission. Unauthorized aircraft pose a serious hazard to aviation personnel, forcing the grounding of firefighting aircraft and potentially delaying suppression efforts.

Information: Lightning Creek Fire, bit.ly/4l5NhIB; Sunset Fire, bit.ly/45EwwP9; and Bonner County Sheriff’s Office: bonnerso.org