SANDPOINT — There was a small measure of good news for crews battling a pair of large wildfires in Bonner County.

Rainy, cool weather slowed fire growth and allowed crews to make strides on both the Sunset Fire in southern Bonner County and the Lightning Creek Fire across Lake Pend Oreille in the southeastern part of the county, about 9 miles north of Clark Fork.

“The damp weather and the rain helped us today, so we really didn’t see that growth because the weather was favorable,” said Mary Fritz, public information officer for the Sunset Fire.

However, Fritz said the reprieve is expected to be short-lived, with hot weather is expected to return soon — bringing with it the potential for increased fire behavior.

“Even though it rained Saturday, it was nothing to hold us off. It gave us

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