Page 2 - Consalus Fire News Today

As containment of the Consalus Fire increased to 70%, state officials advised that fire danger in most of the state is rated as very high to extreme. As of Tuesday, Idaho Department of Lands crews have fought 166 fires, with most being human-caused or investigated as possibly being human-caused.

With growth of the Consalus Fire holding steady for more than a week, management of the fire is being returned to the Priest Lake Fire District. "After over a week of the fire staying within its footprint and all the great work accomplished on the line, fire officials have determined that the complexity of the fire has dropped from a Type 3 incident to a Type 4," Northern Rockies Type 3 Incident Management Team officials said in a Monday update.

From no name creek to Consalus Creek, things are “looking really good” on the south and southeastern edges of the Consalus Fire, Northern Rockies Type 3 Incident Management Team officials said Saturday.

Crews have kept the Consalus Fire from any significant growth for more than a week, fire officials said Friday. The lightning-caused fire is located 10 miles west of Coolin, Idaho, in nearby Pend Oreille County, Wash. Since it was discovered on June 30, the fire has burned an estimated 475 acres — a number that has not changed for more than a week.

For a second straight day, the Consalus Fire tested its perimeters, aided by winds. And, for the second straight day, the line held and the Consalus Fire remained within its existing footprint and at 40% containment.

While Monday's red flag warning conditions increased fire activity in pockets of unburned fuel on the Consalus Fire, crews still boosted containment to roughly 40 percent. "Most of the heat was observed on the western side of the fire but it did not move outside of any existing firelines," Northern Rockies Type 3 Incident Management Team officials said Tuesday.

Fire crews are still working to put out a wildfire that is burning in Pend Oreille County, Washington.

Fire season is in full swing in and around the state of Washington. We are currently seeing more fires on the westside of the state earlier in the season. This

A red flag warning was in effect for much of Monday for the area around the Consalus Fire. However, Northern Rockies Type 3 Incident Management Team officials said crews have made significant progress in strengthening firelines on the fire's western and southwestern edges. Also, a contingency line on the fire's western edges been completed.

With containment increasing by the day, the biggest threat to firelines on the Consalus Fire is falling trees. While containment jumped to 30% Saturday morning, falling trees carrying heat or spreading sparks as they fall could cause fires outside firelines, Northern Rockies Type 3 Incident Management Team officials said.