Upper Smith Fire Active on Idaho Panhandle

Tuesday, September 15, 2026

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The Upper Smith Fire, ignited by lightning on July 8, 2026, continues to burn on a steep north-facing slope in heavy timber near Porthill, Idaho. The fire is managed under a full suppression strategy by the Northern Idaho Blue Team, which assumed command on August 12, 2026.

The fire is located approximately 6 miles west of Porthill and 20 miles northwest of Bonners Ferry. It is burning in an area with significant dead and down fuels, and fire crews are using direct and indirect tactics to protect critical values at risk while minimizing firefighter risk.

📄 Source: InciWeb Active Wildfires — http://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/idipf-upper-smith-fire

Checked against the public record11 of 11 claims · 100%

Every factual claim below was checked against the original public record. Source: original document ↗

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The Upper Smith Fire was ignited by lightning on July 8, 2026“The fire was ignited by lightning on July 8th, 2026 . It is burning on a steep, north-facing slope in heavy timber with significant concentrations of dead and down fuels.”
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The Upper Smith Fire continues to burn on a steep north-facing slope“It is burning on a steep, north-facing slope in heavy timber with significant concentrations of dead and down fuels.”
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The Upper Smith Fire is burning in heavy timber near Porthill, Idaho“It is burning on a steep, north-facing slope in heavy timber with significant concentrations of dead and down fuels.”
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The Upper Smith Fire is managed under a full suppression strategy“A full suppression strategy will continue to be implemented utilizing direct and indirect tactics to protect critical values at-risk and minimize firefighter risk exposure.”
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The Northern Idaho Blue Team is managing the Upper Smith Fire“The Northern Idaho Blue Team assumed command of the fire on August 12, 2026, at 6:00 am.”
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The Northern Idaho Blue Team assumed command on August 12, 2026“The Northern Idaho Blue Team assumed command of the fire on August 12, 2026, at 6:00 am.”
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The Upper Smith Fire is located approximately 6 miles west of Porthill“The Upper Smith fire is located within the Smith Creek drainage, approximately 6 miles west of Porthill, Idaho and about 20 miles northwest of Bonners Ferry, Idaho.”
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The Upper Smith Fire is located approximately 20 miles northwest of Bonners Ferry“The Upper Smith fire is located within the Smith Creek drainage, approximately 6 miles west of Porthill, Idaho and about 20 miles northwest of Bonners Ferry, Idaho.”
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The Upper Smith Fire is burning in an area with significant dead and down fuels“It is burning on a steep, north-facing slope in heavy timber with significant concentrations of dead and down fuels.”
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Fire crews are using direct and indirect tactics to protect critical values at risk“A full suppression strategy will continue to be implemented utilizing direct and indirect tactics to protect critical values at-risk and minimize firefighter risk exposure.”
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Fire crews are using direct and indirect tactics to minimize firefighter risk“A full suppression strategy will continue to be implemented utilizing direct and indirect tactics to protect critical values at-risk and minimize firefighter risk exposure.”