Inland Northwest fires ignite under red flag warning

Several wildfires sparked Wednesday across the Inland Northwest amid hot, windy weather.

A 675-acre fire burning northeast of Athol destroyed three structures, according to the Idaho Department of Lands.

The Bonner County Sheriff’s Office ordered “go” evacuations for residents on Raven, Crosswhite and Little Blacktail roads and east of 2268 Sunset Road, IDL said in a news release.

A “set” status was in place for residents on Blacktail Road one-quarter mile north of Little Blacktail.

An evacuation reception area is available at Sagle Elementary School. Evacuated cows and horses can be taken to the fairgrounds, according to the release.

The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office put the community of Bayview into a “ready” to evacuate status, IDL said.

Helicopters, multiple fire engines, a tanker, a hot shot crew and several ground firefighters helped the Department of Lands battle the blaze, which was reported at about 3:30 p.m.

In Washington, a 500-acre fire burning north of Reardan in Lincoln County forced Level 3, or “leave now,” evacuations for residents, according to officials.

Structures were threatened, and it was unclear whether any burned in the Crescent Road fire, according to Zoe Love, Washington State Department of Natural Resources public information officer.

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page indicated the fire was burning near Crescent Road, Whispering Pines Drive and Devils Gap Road, and moving north toward the Spokane River, Devils Gap and Long Lake roads.

The fire shut down some roads in the area.

Level 3 evacuations were ordered for residents between Farwell Road and the Spokane River and McLaughlin Road and state Route 231, the sheriff’s office wrote.

State fire resources were assisting local firefighters fighting the fire that is torching grass, timber and brush, according to a Washington State Fire Marshal’s Office news release.

Love said the cause of the fire, which started about 4:15 p.m., was undetermined. Aircraft helped ground crews battle the blaze.

In Whitman County, a 600-acre blaze burning in grass, wheat and brush was threatening homes, infrastructure and agricultural resources near Dusty, according to a Washington State Fire Marshal’s Office news release.

State firefighting resources were called to help local firefighters at the scene of the Central Ferry fire, which started about 11:30 a.m.

Residents in the area were asked to be ready to evacuate. Air resources were ordered to help contain the fire, the release said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

A fire closed state Route 21 west of Ritzville Wednesday afternoon, but it reopened quickly, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation. The status of the fire Wednesday night was unclear.

Intern reporter Caroline Saint James contributed to this article.