BONNERS FERRY — A fast-moving wildfire about eight miles north of town prompted evacuation of about 100 homes and an all-hands response by local, state and federal firefighters as the fire quickly grew, driven by 40-45-mph winds.

The Turner Fire, located about 5 miles south of Copeland in northern Boundary County, is the second significant fire reported in the county in the last week. The fire has burned 300 acres and is 0% contained. It is not known how the fire started and its cause is under investigation, U.S. Forest Service officials said.

Also burning in northern Boundary County is the Upper Smith Fire, located about 6 miles west of Porthill and 20 miles northwest of Bonners Ferry. The lightning-sparked fire has burned 598 acres and is 0% contained.

Roughly 170 personnel have been assigned to the Turner Fire and 161 have been assigned to the Upper Smith Fire.

The Turner Fire was reported about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday and quickly grew, prompting evacuations in the area and an immediate response from local, state and federal firefighters, Boundary County Sheriff Travis Stolley said.

Roughly 250 homes are under Ready-Set-Go evacuation protocols, with about 100 homes in "Go" status, meaning residents are advised to leave due to an imminent threat.

"It's what we consider is too close for comfort and we're asking people to stay away from their homes," Stolley said of the area included in the evacuation zone.

Under "Ready" status, residents are advised to have a plan to evacuate if necessary; under "Set" status, residents are advised to begin putting their plan into place.

Areas included in the "Go" status are the 3000 block of Turner Hill Road east to Highway 95, Holmes Road, Fleming Creek Road, Kings Row and Fawn Lane along with any of their associated side roads.

As of Thursday afternoon, Stolley said he is unaware of any structures lost to the fire.

Stolley said deputies will be actively patrolling the evacuation areas, checking on the ingress and egress points and checking on the properties. Information and signage will be posted to alert residents about what is going on and where to get additional information.

"We want to make sure we don't have anybody going in behind us and doing anything they're not supposed to, or thinking the properties are unprotected or those kinds of things," he said.

Immediately after the fire was reported, numerous fire crews — including multiple resources assigned to the Upper Smith Fire — responded and worked into Thursday, making significant progress before being relieved by additional incoming resources. Heavy air support was critical to Thursday's suppression efforts, U.S. Forest Service officials said on InciWeb, an interagency incident information management site.

Stolley said he appreciates the immediate response to the Turner Hill Fire by the Idaho Department of Lands, U.S. Forest Service and local fire departments and first responders.

"I'm, just in general, extremely grateful … The amount of resources that were mobilized (Wednesday night) in a very short time frame …" he added. "I'm just very grateful for everybody's help and assistance in the evacuations and making sure that the public remains safe."

The Turner Fire is burning in an area encompassing brush, grass, timber and slash piles. Driven by the winds, the fire exhibited 30- to 40-foot flame lengths Wednesday, officials said. The combined effort allowed crews to build a handline along the eastern edge of the fire and engine crews were able to create a wet line along the fire's western edge. To the north, ahead of the fire, the Idaho Fire Chiefs Association deployed two task forces of engines to help protect structures near the fire.

Large airtankers and very large airtankers have dropped retardant on the fire while helicopters and single-engine air tankers have dropped water to cool the fire's edges. That coordinated air attack continued throughout Thursday, officials said.

Both the Copeland and Porthill boat launches have been closed to keep the public away from where scoop planes and helicopters are pulling water from the Kootenai River for both the Turner and Upper Smith fires.

Reported July 8, the Upper Smith Fire was sparked by a lightning strike in the overnight hours between Tuesday, July 7, and early Wednesday, July 8. The fire is burning on a north-facing slope in an area of extremely steep and rugged terrain full of large logs and dead and downed timber.

USFS officials said firefighters were successful in building a handline partway down the avalanche chute on the fire's west side, reaching the edge of the west flank and establishing an anchor point for suppression. Access roads are still being opened to allow firefighters better proximity to the fireline.

Wind-driven runs across the slope to the east were observed with short-lived wind gusts, officials said.

On the fire's southwest corner, an excavator will continue to build line from the end of USFS Road 635 toward the ridge while a direct line will be dug down the avalanche chute against the fire's west flank. On the fire's east side, officials said crews will work to improve indirect hand and dozer lines.

No evacuations are planned for the Upper Smith Fire. Temporary flight restrictions are in effect over both fires to ensure the safety of suppression aircraft.

Command of both the Turner Fire and the Upper Smith Fire is transitioning to the Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team 1, which will be managing both fires. Command is transitioning from the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho and U.S. Wildland Fire Service on the Turner Fire and from the USFS Type 3 Northern Idaho Team on the Upper Smith Fire.

A red flag warning is in effect in the area through 11 a.m. Friday, July 17, for the north and central Idaho Panhandle and the Selkirk Mountains of northeastern Washington. Forecasters said a round of wet and dry thunderstorms are possible with "erratic and gusty" winds up to 60 mph through Thursday evening.

The conditions briefly prompted the Bonneville Power Administration to announce at 4:27 p.m. Thursday that it planned a public safety power shutoff at 5 p.m. in portions of Bonner and Boundary counties in Idaho and the Libby area in Montana. However, roughly an hour later, Northern Lights Inc. advised customers that BPA had advised them that the power shutoff had been canceled.

Public safety power shutoffs are part of a strategy to help prevent wildfires during high-risk weather conditions. In announcing the cancellation at 5:15 p.m., NLI officials said they shared the public's dismay.

"Please know that like you, we are frustrated by the short notice about these decisions, which limited our ability to communicate with you in a timely manner," NLI officials posted on their social media accounts.

The sheriff encouraged anyone needing help from his department to call and they will help in whatever way they can.

"We're all going to continue attacking this thing as aggressively as we can," Stolley said.

Info.: inciweb.wildfire.gov‌