Firefighters eagerly await coming cool-down, rain

Firefighters are pinning their hopes on Thursday.

That’s when cool, rainy weather is expected to deliver a knockout punch to several tenacious wildfires that have been burning across the Inland Northwest for nearly a month.

“All the fire managers are really hoping something comes out of this weather event,” said Julia Genre, with the interagency fire dispatch center in Coeur d’Alene.

Cooler weather Monday in many parts of the region already began to quiet some of the fires, Genre said. For the first time in recent weeks, all three single-engine air tankers stationed at the Coeur d’Alene airport never even left the tarmac.

The following is a glimpse at what continues to burn:

Idaho

•A new fire was reported over the weekend in the Revett Lake area, near Thompson Pass in Shoshone County. Officials believe lightning sparked the blaze, said Randy Swick, Coeur d’Alene District ranger for the U.S. Forest Service.

An estimated 100 acres had burned by Monday. Hiking trails leading to popular lakes in the region were closed Sunday.

•A large fire continues to burn in the Ulm Peak area, about 20 miles north of Thompson Pass along the Bitterroot Mountain Divide. The fire had burned about 3,500 acres and was listed at 15 percent contained.

•The Hughes 32 Complex of fires has burned about 3,100 acres in roadless forest about 10 miles north of Nordman, northwest of Priest Lake. The fires were listed at 22 percent contained.

•A fire burned 175 acres in Long Canyon, a remote, roadless valley between Bonners Ferry and Canada. No firefighters had been assigned to the fire because of difficulty in accessing the area and because the fire threatens no structures, according to Forest Service officials.

•The Forest Service is managing the 510-acre Collins Tooth fire south of St. Maries, allowing the blaze to continue to smolder in hopes of improving wildlife habitat and reducing the risk of future fires. The fire is burning in the Mallard-Larkins Pioneer Area.

The Collins Tooth fire has not burned new acreage since Friday, but many hiking trails and lookout towers in the area will remain closed until rain or snow falls on the fire, said St. Joe District Ranger Chuck Mark.

Washington

•Bisbee Mountain fire: The blaze just west of Kettle Falls was listed at 500 acres and 50 percent contained. Full containment is expected by Wednesday night. About 200 firefighters have been assigned to the fire.

•Columbia Complex: These fires in the southeast corner of the state, near Dayton, have burned about 103,000 acres and are listed as 75 percent contained. On Monday, firefighters conducted burnout operations in hopes of strengthening fire lines.

•Tripod Complex: Extensive burnout operations were planned for Monday to widen fire lines in the northeast portion of these fires, which have burned about 175,000 acres and are 65 percent contained.

The fire continues to move to the north and east.