SANDPOINT— The terrain is challenging, but moderate temperatures have slowed the Sunset Fire's growth, federal, state and local firefighters told the large crowd gathered Monday.

Several hundred people packed North Summit's south building, spilling into the entryway and lining the walls, before the meeting was moved to the church's sanctuary to accommodate the large crowd. The move, which only took several minutes, prompted a small moment of levity when Northern Rockies Team 5 Public Information Officer Terina Hill thanked the crowd for making it look easy.

"We're used to evacuating," quipped a woman sitting near the front, prompting laughter by both the crowd and the firefighters.

More than 500 people are assigned to the fire with significant resources, including specialized hotshot fi

See Full Page