Fast firefighting
<p>United States Forest Service members Brian Wilson, left, helps Matt Engbring investigate the area where the brush fire was believed to have started on Wednesday, on Fernan Lake Road. The fire burned roughly three and a half acres of brush, and no property damage was reported.</p>
FERNAN - Despite strong gusty winds and extremely dry conditions, firefighters knocked down a 3.5-acre wildfire on Fernan Lake Road Wednesday morning that appears to be human-caused.
The fire started on the west side of Fernan Lake Road about a half mile from the Fernan Rod & Gun Club, and traveled up a steep embankment. It was reported around 8 a.m.
U.S. Forest Service crews were quick to respond and called in air support to help extinguish the flames, according to Clare Delaney, a public information officer who was recently assigned to the Idaho Panhandle National Forest.
She said a crew of 25 firefighters fought the wildfire on the ground while a helicopter attacked with water drops and an air tanker dropped retardant on the flames.
"They were able to catch it before it took off," she said, adding the fire was not contained as of Wednesday afternoon, but crews were working to get a fire line in place.
Crews did have fire hoses all the way around the fire by mid-day, Delaney said.
Fernan Lake Road remained closed at the gun club road for several hours as investigators processed the origin of the fire for evidence and crews mopped up the fire's hot spots.