Fire restrictions lifted across North Idaho

By Ben Olson
Reader Staff

Cooler temperatures and recent rainfall influenced the U.S. Forest Service to lift fire restrictions across North Idaho Monday. The region has been under Stage I or II fire restrictions since August 4.

“Agencies responsible for managing lands and providing wildland fire protection in the Coeur d’Alene Dispatch area have lifted fire restrictions in the entire area,” the USFS wrote in a statement. “Conditions no longer warrant extreme fire danger; however, we are still reminding the public to be careful with their fires.”

Firefighter Kyle Menke during the 2015 Cape Horn fire. Photo by Ben Olson.

Ranger Districts affected include those from Sandpoint, Priest River, Bonners Ferry and Coeur d’Alene, as well as land managed by the Idaho Department of Lands and the Bureau of Land Management.

After the recent rainfall, temperatures are forecasted to remain in the high 50s to low 60s through the weekend before another  stretch of sunshine and high 60s to low 70s is expected to last through the end of September.