A wildfire burning southwest of Creston in northern Idaho has grown to 242 hectares (598 acres).
According to the U.S. Forest Service, the Upper Smith Fire was discovered July 8 and was sparked by lightning.
The blaze has burned 242 hectares and remains zero per cent contained in steep, rugged terrain south of the Canada-U.S. border.
In a Thursday morning update, the forest service said fire crews have continued building containment lines along the west flank of the fire after taking advantage of reduced fire behaviour caused by an overnight temperature inversion.
Firefighters have also established an anchor point for suppression after constructing a handline partway down an avalanche chute.
Access roads are also being opened to provide better access to the fire line.
The forest service said fire activity increased Wednesday afternoon as temperatures rose and the inversion lifted.
In addition, short-lived wind gusts pushed the fire eastward at times, although the need for aviation resources was reduced Wednesday because overall fire behaviour remained relatively mild.
About 140 personnel are assigned to the fire.
The B.C. Wildfire Service said in a statement it has not received any requests for support for the Upper Smith Fire, although it is monitoring the situation.
“We will continue to stay in touch with our partners to the south,” said Kim Wright, fire information officer with the B.C. Wildfire Service’s Southeast Fire Centre.
The U.S. Forest Service said some firefighting resources assigned to the Upper Smith Fire were temporarily reassigned Wednesday night to respond to the nearby Turner Fire, located north of Bonners Ferry.
The Turner Fire has burned about 101 hectares and has prompted evacuation orders.
According to the B.C. Wildfire Service map, smoke observed in Creston on Thursday was attributed to both the Upper Smith Fire and the Turner Fire.
For the full update, click here.
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