Rain knocks back fires in N.W.T; Yukon burns

[five_alarm]

FORT SMITH, NT - Heavy rain in the South Slave has given fire fighters a break. More than half of the 51 fires in Wood Buffalo National Park are now out, leaving only 17 burning. But the park is not in the clear. About 40 firefighters are targetting several problem blazes, one as big as 86,000 hectares. Meanwhile, Highway 5 remains periodically closed to allow fire crews to work on controlled burns near Fort Smith and Sand Lake. The break may not last long. Warm, dry weather is predicted for the next week. Meanwhile, abnormally hot temperatures over the weekend are being blamed for five more fire starts in the Yukon. Fire information officer, Paula Webber says the new fires bring the total number in the territory to 248. Webber says that's creeping up to a territorial record. "We're getting close to the most fires in 50 years, which was in 1994 when we had 250 fires," she says. "So we could beat that record yet."

Source: north.cbc.ca (http://www.firehall.com/refer.php?url=http://north.cbc.ca/regional/servlet/View?filename=aug09smithfire09092004&linkid=848&parent=news(headlines)&)