Crews battle Upper Smith Fire

BONNERS FERRY — Crews continue to battle a lightning-sparked fire located six miles west of Porthill.

The fire has burned about 449 acres since it was sparked by a lightning strike in the overnight hours between July 7 and 8. As of Monday evening, there was 0% containment.

The fire, which is burning on a north-facing slope, is in an area of large logs and dead and down timber under a dense canopy, U.S. Forest Service officials said. A total of 129 firefighters have been assigned to the wildfire, including Hotshot crew, two hand crews, multiple engines and heavy machinery, and aviation support. 

Firefighters are implementing indirect confinement strategies due to the area's inaccessible terrain and firefighter safety considerations, USFS officials said. 

"Personnel are actively evaluating opportunities to engage directly where terrain, fire behavior and safety allow, while assessing the potential for strategic firing operations," USFS Type 3 Northern Idaho Team incident commander Mitchell Prophet said in a press release.

Over the past 24 hours, officials said ground crews have made significant headway constructing indirect hand and dozer lines. In addition, aviation support remains active, with multiple helicopters and heavy tankers conducting water drops throughout the day Sunday.

Prophet said crews will continue constructing fire lines and connecting hand and dozer lines to natural barriers where possible.

Fire crews are reporting active, single-tree torching with short-range spotting and flanking.

"The fire is moving across the landscape when the relative humidity is lower and in areas of inversion pockets," officials said on InciWeb, an interagency incident information management site.

The fire is spotting into dead and down timber areas that have been previously burned or damaged by wind. Fire crews have also noted creeping and smoldering behavior is being observed in wetter areas of the Upper Smith Fire.

Both Smith Creek Road and Long Canyon Trail have been closed to public travel. Closures in the Westside and Kerr Lake road areas, as well as a closure of Riverside Street, are connected to county projects.

"The public is strongly encouraged to avoid the Smith Creek drainage area to allow firefighting equipment and personnel to travel and operate safely," USFS officials said.

USFS officials reminded area residents that temporary flight restrictions are in effect over the Upper Smith Fire to ensure the safety of suppression aircraft. Those restrictions were ignored Saturday with multiple drone incursions reported on wildfires in the Idaho Panhandle National Forests

"These incidents cause delays in critical firefighting efforts and create the potential for fatal consequences, officials said on InciWeb. "Avoid all wildfire areas, as well as flight paths and any airspace meant for aircraft. If you fly, we can't."

Info.: shorturl.at/viAB9