Deceitful Wildfire/Character Complex update for Aug. 26

Deceitful wildfire quick information:

Size: 12,255 acres

Containment %: 40%

Firefighter injuries: 14

Structures threatened: 160

Structures damaged/lost: 3

Highlights: Continuing containment success allows for additional focus on gridding and mopping up hot spots around the fire line from Beaver Creek to Kings Pass and Shehee Gulch. Indirect hand lines will be constructed to tie in with existing direct dozer lines from Kings Ridge to Prichard Creek. Backhauling will continue through the week west of Beaver Creek, and road work is being done to connect to Road 939 as an indirect line above Murray.

Weather: A high pressure system is moving in with temperatures about 10 degrees warmer up into the 70s. Relative humidities are dropping into the upper 20s to low 30 and wind speeds decreasing.

Road Status:

• Kings Pass Road remains closed

• Coeur d'Alene River Road and Old River Road are open

• Prichard Creek Road/Thompson Pass Road is open

• Beaver Creek Road is open

Evacuations: Communities currently in the “SET” evacuation category will be downgraded to “READY,” except for Murray and Eagle, which will remain in “SET.” Communities currently in the “READY” category will be lifted from evacuation. Communities currently in the “READY” category have been lifted from evacuation; this includes the Silver Valley.

Communities in “SET:”

• Murray

• Eagle

Communities in “READY:”

• Coal Creek (Coeur d’Alene River Road MM 13 at Steamboat east to MM 21 at Prichard)

• Prichard (up to Avery Creek at road NF-602)

• Beaver Creek from the transmission line at Dobson Pass north to Kings Pass

Other area closures issued by the Idaho Panhandle National Forests (IPNF) remain in effect: the area closures associated with the Deceitful Fire and Prichard Fire, as well as Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) closures for access roads off the North Fork Coeur d’ Alene River road at Mile Marker 8 and Mile Marker 10. USFS still strongly encourages people to stay out of these closures for public and firefighter safety. IPNF area closure information is available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/ipnf/alerts-notices.