SANDPOINT — After almost three weeks, the Sunset Fire is 100% contained.

"The crews have been busting hard to get it there because they knew today was going to be a hot one," said Jennifer Russell, Idaho Department of Lands fire information officer.

Crews made a concerted effort to reach complete containment knowing that hot weather was forecast for the region through the end of the week. Temperatures are forecast to reach the mid-90s to low 100s on Wednesday before dropping slightly with highs from the upper 80s to mid-90s through Saturday.

Fire crews spent Tuesday working to strengthen containment lines and checking for potential hot spots in the fire's interior.

"Containment means that we're very confident that the fire will not leave that perimeter ever but that doesn't mean that there isn't still gridding," Russell said. "And when they find hot spots, mopping up."

Gridding involves crews walking two feet apart over an area in a grid pattern, pausing every foot and taking off their gloves to feel around in the dirt for any heat. Drones with infrared detection are also being used to pinpoint areas of potential heat on the 3,183-acre fire.

"Then we can get firefighters right to that spot to add water and dig it up and put that heat to bed where it's safe to do so," Russell said.

However, the fire information officer cautioned that the public will likely still continue to see smoke from the fire as intermittent pockets of fuel burn. The steep terrain in some areas of the Sunset Fire makes it dangerous to get fire crews to those locations. The remoteness of those areas also means the fire does not pose a threat to any identified values.

IDL officials reminded residents to exercise caution when re-entering recently burned areas, noting that internal areas of the fire will continue to smolder and burn until a season-ending event, likely later this fall as cooler temperatures and significant, soaking rainfall begins.

Backhauling of all equipment continues as helicopters transport gear from sites to a central drop point where it can be loaded into trucks for transport back to the Interagency Fire Cache in Coeur d'Alene. Once there, it will be refurbished and ready for redeployment.

Fire crews assigned to the Sunset Fire will remain available to assist local, state, and federal fire crews with initial attack operations, ensuring new starts are quickly addressed to reduce the risk of additional large fires, Russell said.

In fact, many crews assigned to the Sunset Fire were dispatched to one of numerous lightning strikes from a thunderstorm that hit the region Aug. 29. Russell estimated that 17 to 20 strikes were reported to date between the storm and Tuesday morning.

Among them are the Green Mountain Fire, located about eight miles west of Clark Fork, is estimated at one acre; and the Rattle Mountain Fire, located south of Glad Peak, is estimated at 30 acres.

Russell encouraged residents to take advantage of state and local programs to create a survivable, defensible space around their home during the off-season. Information on the programs can be found on both Idaho Department of Lands and Bonner County websites.

"All it takes is one little stinking ember to get into your attic spaces and boom, it's off to the races," Russell said.

However, by getting into the mindset of creating a defensible space, it puts homeowners in a better position during fire season.

"Fire is a part of our landscape here in North Idaho," Russell said. "It's part of the ecosystem … Fire is part and parcel of living here and it's not an if, it's a when so how do we live resiliently with fire?"

Creating that space gives a home a better chance of surviving a wildfire and helps keep firefighters safe during suppression efforts.

As a large portion of the suppression work is coming to an end, fire crews will still be working in the area for the foreseeable future. Local unit patrols and suppression repair work will begin and continue well into the fall when season-ending rains hit North Idaho.

Russell said the cause of the fire has not been identified and an investigation into what started the Sunset Fire in the late afternoon on Aug. 13 is ongoing. Under IDL policy, no information on a fire's cause is released until a signed investigation and report have been issued.

"When the Idaho Department of Lands investigation team is done and the report is signed and delivered, then they can release cause but before that, they're not going to release anything," she added.

Near Clark Fork, the Lightning Creek Fire — sparked by a lightning strike July 30 — remains at 25% containment and has burned 2,525 acres.

Fire activity is minimal, with creeping and smoldering on its northern and southern flanks. Incident Commander Kelly Tucker of the Sandpoint Ranger District assumed control of the fire Aug. 18.

A closure order surrounding the Lightning Creek Fire has been replaced with a road closure. Visitors can access the Upper Lightning trailhead and Char Falls via Trestle Creek Road.

"This closure is necessary to protect the safety and welfare of the public and provide for safe firefighting efforts and access," officials said.

Information: Lightning Creek Fire, bit.ly/4l5NhIB; Sunset Fire, bit.ly/3HR16gm; Bonner County Sheriff's Office: bonnerso.org