UPDATE (2:30 p.m. - 8/18/25):
As of the morning of August 18, the Sunset Fire has burned 3,208 acres and is 0% contained.
Evacuation orders remain in place and can be found in the update from August 17.
According to an update from the Idaho Department of Lands, "Hotshot crews and type 2 initial attack crews will work to establish firelines in the steep terrain along the west flank, while hotshot crews and equipment will work to establish firelines on the north flank near Blacktail Mountain and south of Talache."
Aerial resources and water and retardant drops continue to aid in the firefighting efforts, and the cause is still under investigation.
UPDATE (10:30 a.m. - 8/17/25):
Located northeast of Athol, The Sunset Fire has burned a total of 2,780 acres and remains 0% contained. There are 340 personnel fighting the fire.
Some precipitation over the last 24 hours offered the area a quick break as crews hand off leadership responsibilities to the Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team 5.
Dozers recently completed a containment line along the wildfire's southern flank.
"Structure protection teams will be assessing properties along Talache Road and Butler Creek, implementing structure protection measures where needed." - USFS
Meanwhile, hotshot crews are creating firelines in steep terrain along Lake Pend Oreille.
Aerial support continues to drop water and retardant on the fire, and boats are spraying down active flames along the lake's edge.
'GO' evacuation orders remain in effect for residents who live in the following areas:
Raven Road, Crosswhite Road, Little Blacktail Road, and east of 2268 Sunset Road. USFS 630 off Blacktail Road (north of Blacktail), Butler Creek and Butler Creek Spur, from Mirror Lake, diagonal down to USFS 630, including Five Lakes Estates, Jupline Landing, the entire Ponderosa neighborhood, and everything on Talache Rd. and all side streets feeding to Talache Rd.
'SET' evacuation notices remain in effect for residents who live in the following areas:
Homes on Blacktail Road, a quarter of a mile north of Little Blacktail, and everything north of Talache Road in Sagle. Residents should be prepared to leave at a moment’s notice.
'READY' evacuation advisories remain in effect for residents who live in the following areas:
Blacktail Road north of the ¼ mile and for the community of Bayview in neighboring Kootenai County.
*To receive the latest evacuation updates, please sign up for Bonner County Nixel alerts via text. Text 888777 and enter your zip code.
You can find the entire US Forest Service wildfire update here.
UPDATE (9:16 a.m. - 8/16/25):
The Sunset Fire nearly doubled in size in the past 24 hours. The fire has now burned 2,702 acres.
A front is forecasted to move into the area today, and fire officials are keeping an eye on wind direction as crews continue their suppression efforts.
"Overnight, engine crews actively patrolled the fire perimeter, extinguishing hotspots, and providing structure protection throughout the fire focusing efforts within the Talache Road and Butler Creek areas." - Idaho Department of Lands
Strong outflow winds from the front could cause the fire to grow rapidly over the next couple of days.
Firefighting crews continue battling the Sunset Fire northeast of Athol in Northern Idaho. The fire, which is threatening homes and other structures, was last measured around 1,830 acres on Friday.
'GO' evacuation orders are currently in place, and residents in the affected areas should leave immediately.
Officials say evacuation areas include "all residents on Raven Road, Crosswhite Road, Little Blacktail Road, and east of 2268 Sunset Road. USFS 630 off Blacktail Road (north of Blacktail), Butler Creek and Butler Creek Spur, from Mirror Lake, diagonal down to USFS 630, including Five Lakes Estates, Jupline Landing, the entire Ponderosa neighborhood, and everything south of Talache Rd."
Other neighborhoods in the areas surrounding Blacktail Road are either under 'SET' or 'READY' evacuation orders.
An update on Inciweb states that public safety remains the top concern for crews assigned to the fire.
"Today, cooler weather is expected to aid both air and ground firefighting resources as they continue direct engagement along the fireline. A Hotshot crew is being brought into the eastern edge by boat to construct handline in steep terrain where heavy equipment cannot gain access." - Idaho Department of Lands
Officials have an evacuation center set up for those displaced by the wildfire at the Cocolalla Bible Camp. The Bonner County Fairgrounds is open on a limited basis to house displaced livestock.
There is also a Temporary Flight Restriction order in place that restricts the use of all aircraft in the fire's vicinity, including drones.
As the fire continues to grow, a Complex Incident Management Team plans to arrive tomorrow to assist suppression efforts and coordinate personnel.
The public should avoid the fire area for the time being.
The cause of the Sunset Fire is still under investigation.
Evacuation orders explained...
