Crews Battle New Blazes Lightning Strikes Start Dozens Of Small Fires In North Idaho

North Idaho firefighters scrambled Friday to douse dozens of small fires set off Thursday night by lightning strikes.

So far, the Panhandle has been spared from the raging wildfires that have hit other areas of the West.

“We’ve been very lucky,” said Kerry Arneson, fire information officer with the U.S. Forest Service in Coeur d’Alene.

But with winds picking up Friday afternoon, high temperatures and no heavy rain in sight, fire officials are bracing themselves for a major wildfire. Fire danger in North Idaho is listed as very high.

“The picture is getting a little more scary,” said Dave Cobb, with the U.S. Forest Service in Sandpoint.

Reports of at least three dozen small fires in the region streamed in Friday morning. Groups of two- or three-person fire crews were sent out to contain the small blazes, Arneson said. No homes or structures were threatened.

Smokejumpers from Missoula were called in to battle blazes near Clark Fork in eastern Bonner County. Winds were so strong they had to turn back, Cobb said.

Helicopters and tanker planes carrying fire retardant were called from Coeur d’Alene to help fight about half a dozen small blazes in Bonner and Boundary counties.

There were more than 3,500 lighting strikes in Idaho, Western Montana, Oregon and British Columbia in a three-hour period Thursday night, said meteorologist Lyle Hammer with the National Weather Service in Spokane.

There were at least 70 lightning strikes on the Idaho/Montana border, Hammer said.

“There was a tremendous amount,” he said.

Wind gusts of up to 20 mph hit Coeur d’Alene on Friday.

Three 20-person strike teams are on call in Coeur d’Alene if the fires get out of control. Local disaster services officials are preparing for a major outbreak. It could take two to three days before some fires caused by lightning are seen, Arenson said.

But a national waiting list for fire crews and equipment has local officials hoping they’re able to quickly quash the small blazes.

There’s already a demand for an additional 5,000 firefighters and 50 helicopters for fires burning in 11 Western states, Arneson said.

“Our resources are limited,” said Sandy Von Behren, with Kootenai County Disaster Services. “There’s just waiting lists for everything.”