Rain supports Ridge Creek Fire crews, clears air

Firefighters took advantage Tuesday of the precipitation to improve containment lines on the Ridge Creek Fire. Minimal fire activity was expected to progress through the day and evening.

The containment and fire size changed a bit from Monday, due to improved mapping, according to an update from the Southern Area Incident Management Gold Team, which has assumed control of fighting the blaze.

Air support wasn’t available due to the weather Tuesday, but ground crews made progress in digging containment lines along the Forest Service Roads.

The Forest Service expanded area closures Monday, and violating the order is punishable by up to $10,000.

Firefighters held containment along the southern edge of the fire Monday. With improved containment on the south end, resources were shifted to the east and north end Tuesday.

The Kootenai County Office of Emergency Management evacuation status remains the same for the Bunco (GET SET or Level 2) and Hayden Lake (GET READY or Level 1) areas.

More information is available at https://www.kcsheriff.com/186/Emergency-Management.

The fire is believed to be caused by human activity but remains under investigation.

Size: 4,293 acres

Containment: 15%

Total Personnel: 560

Heavy Equipment: 15

Engines: 23

Crews: 17

Air Quality

Air quality predictions for the week contain mixed messages.

“Air quality is improving,” said Dan Smith, Regional Airshed Coordinator with the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality. “Having said that, we're in this weird place.”

While rain Tuesday cleared some of the smoke, that isn’t expected to last. Winds are currently southwest, but if those shift Thursday, as they’re expected to, the result could be more bad air, Smith said.

“If we start getting northwest winds, we can expect the smoke from those British Columbia fires to make it down here,” Smith said.

Air quality advisories were in effect Sunday and Monday for people in sensitive groups, which includes those with preexisting conditions like cardiovascular issues or lung sensitivities.

For today and Thursday, the air quality alerts will be lifted, but they could return as the fires in Canada continue to burn.

“BC didn’t get the same humidity,” Smith said. “Even though everything got wet around here, it’s still summer.”

And it’s still the middle of fire season.

“We got a little reprieve and that’s about it,” Smith said. “The little piddly amount of rain that we had is going to suppress the fires. It’s not going to put them out. We’re not out of the woods yet. You can expect spikes as bits of fire or things smoke up. Locally, the fires may hit dry timber and smoke up pretty bad.”

Today should bring drier, breezy, sunny conditions, the Ridge Creek Fire incident meteorologist said in Tuesday’s update. The extended forecast was for gradual warming in the area.

The Coeur d’Alene Dispatch Zone has issued Stage II Fire Restrictions for the Panhandle. Kootenai County remains within the Stage II Fire Restrictions area. Stage two means smoking, combustion engines, fireworks and campfires are restricted across the five northern counties.

“Within our local fires, there are pockets of heavy fuels in there, that the outer part might be good and wet, but the inner part is dry,” Smith said.

Those pockets could lead to thick smoke in the air, with the rain, before the fire is extinguished.

Road Closures

The U.S. Forest Service closed trails and roads in the Ridge Creek Fire area and expanded closures Monday to protect first responders and firefighters and to limit traffic near the fire.

The closure includes Forest Service land in the area north of Forest Service Road 206, west of FSR 209 and FSR 385 and south of FSR 332.

Also included is Forest Service land surrounding and north of the Yellowbanks Creek area and west of FSR 1535.

All Forest Service Roads in that area will also be closed, including: FSRs 332, 385, 392, 428A, 437, 1507, 1511, 1530, 1552, 1587. FSR 206 north of the junction with FSR 406. FSR 406 north of the junction with FSR 206. Bunco Road/FSR 332 from National Forest boundary on the east to the junction of FSR 385. FSR 385 from the junction with Bunco Road/FSR 332 south to the junction of FSR 209 and FSR 794. Trails: Forest Service Trails 69, 78, 234, 577 and 802.

The closures will be in effect until Sept. 30 unless rescinded.

For a digital version, go to www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/ipnf/alerts-notices.

A violation of the above prohibitions is punishable as a Class B misdemeanor by a fine of not more than $5,000 for individuals and $10,000 for organizations, or by imprisonment for not more than six months or both.

*This article has been updated to reflect a correction. While the Department of Environmental Quality has lifted burn bans, the Idaho Department of Lands restrictions supersede those, so fires are prohibited throughout the five northern counties, including burn pits or back yard fires.