Fire threatened housing development

SPIRIT LAKE - A forest fire briefly threatened a housing development in the Clagstone area Saturday before crews brought it under control.

"It had the potential to be a real nasty fire," said Bob Howard, Bonner County's director of Emergency Management. "If crews hadn't immediately jumped on it, it could have gotten bad real fast."

Five agencies responded to the blaze reported about 12:30-1 p.m. in the Clagstone-Spirit Lake area, including Spirit Lake Fire, Timberlake Fire, Northern Lakes, Sage and the Idaho Department of Lands. In all, about 25 firefighters responded to the fire.

Howard said the fire, which burned an estimated 7 1/2 acres, had gotten into the trees and threatened eight to 10 homes in the Clagstone area, prompting a notice of a potential evacuation.

IDL made several air drops of fire retardant, and crews were able to contain the fire by about 5 p.m. That enabled the county and IDL to drop consideration of an evacuation, Howard said.

The fire under investigation by the IDL and Spirit Lake.

"They found some things that peaked their interest," Howard said.

With hot and dry weather, fire danger is at high and folks should check on the need for permits in their area and ensure all barbecue fires and bonfires and completely extinguished.