Wildfire in Northern Panhandle, Idaho

The Cougar Wildfire near Hope Idaho is believed to have been started by lightning on July 28th. The fire grew and eventually burned 7,866 acres of timber. No structures of homes were lost or threatened. The cost of the firefighting resources required to contain the fire was calculated at 5.1 million dollars.

Dry conditions over north Idaho during July and August created dry fuel conditions across the region. Lightning from occasional thunderstorms moving through the region most notably during the last week of July, caused a number of wildfires some of which grew large and long lasting requiring considerable state and federal resources to contain. These large fires were in unpopulated forest land with no structures or homes lost. Smoke from these fires and fires in surrounding states and provinces often severely degraded air quality across eastern Washington and north Idaho during the month of August.