Storms bring high winds, power outages to region

Severe storms battered the Inland Empire on Saturday evening, dishing out high winds, hail and lightning.

Numerous reports of downed power lines and uprooted trees were received by authorities, ranging from Stateline across northern Coeur d'Alene and Hayden.

Spirit Lake and Sandpoint also were hit by storms, knocking out power in some areas.

Power was reportedly lost to at least 2,300 Kootenai Electric customers on Saturday evening. In the region, Avista reported a loss of services to more than 38,000, and Inland Power said 2,000 had lost power. Avista reported recovery times would vary between 11:30 p.m. Saturday night to 6:30 a.m. this morning.

A storm tore through the Stateline region just before 7 p.m., knocking out power to Stateline Speedway and several businesses on Pleasant View Road, where the Love's Travel Center was evacuated. A grass fire was also reported in the area near I-90, the suspected cause of which was a downed power line.

The storm was also blamed for a house fire on Cimmaron Street in Post Falls. No injuries were reported.

Post Falls Police also responded to a structure fire at Fir and 13th Street, where a power line fell on a home.