Sunset, Crescent Road fires continue to burn with drier weather incoming
After rain fell Saturday on both the Sunset fire and the Crescent Road fire, crews continued to work Sunday on suppressing the flames as drying weather threatens further destruction.
Sunset fire
The Sunset fire has taken up 2,780 acres near Athol since it began on Wednesday. It remains completely uncontained as 340 firefighters work both on the ground and in the skies to gain ground.
The flames also caused the U.S. Forest Service to close down parts of the Idaho Panhandle National Forest on Sunday for public health and safety with exemptions to local private landowners, members of the Forest Service , firefighters and officers.
The area closed encompasses the western shoreline of Lake Pend Oreille from Camp Bay in the north, down to Three Sisters Horizontal Control Station.
The order will be in effect until Dec. 31 unless retracted earlier and violations could be met with fines up to $5,000 for individuals or $10,000 for organizations.
Level 3 evacuations remain for residents on Raven Road, Crosswhite Road, Little Blacktail Road, USFS 630 off Blacktail Road, Butler Creek and Butler Creek Spur. The area also includes from Mirror Lake down to USFS 630, including Five Lakes Estates, Jupline Landing, the Ponderosa neighborhood and Talache Road.
Level 1 and 2 evacuations also remain for surrounding areas and an evacuation center has been set up at the Cocolalla Bible Camp and evacuated livestock are able to be sheltered at the Bonner County Fairgrounds on a limited basis.
A Sunday news release said that although rain helped recent suppression efforts, drier weather is approaching and could lead to increased fire activity in the future.
Crews on Sunday, now under the leadership of Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team 5 focused on establishing fire lines in the steppe areas to the north and west of the fire. Aerial crews are also dropping water and retardant, watercraft are assisting from the lake and structure protection teams are assessing nearby affected properties.
Although the cause is still under investigation, a news release cautioned that most wildfires are caused by humans and to be aware of all current fire restrictions.
Crescent Road fire
Seven miles north of Reardan, Washington, an 892-acre fire is burning but as of Sunday, a crew of 329 has helped reach a containment of 18%.
A news release said rain Saturday morning helped crews strengthen fire lines along the perimeter. On Sunday firefighters focused on the interior of the fire, extinguishing whatever remaining fuel was left burning up.
The release also said fire along the northwest bluffs above Willow Wind Organic Farm remain active and are inaccessible for ground crews to enter, but a helicopter has been dropping water to help.
Level 1, 2 and 3 evacuations are still in place for the surrounding areas as of Sunday.
The weather will continue to dry near Reardan as well, but there is a 15% chance of rain to begin Sunday night and carry into Monday morning.