The Beaver Creek Fire continued to grow overnight and was estimated Thursday morning at 34,677 acres in size.

On the bright side, containment increased from 12 to 18 percent in recent days, and the firefighting force has shrunk. Currently 239 firefighters including three crews, 23 engines, two dozers, five helicopters and an air attack plane are assigned to the blaze.

Fire managers say storm cells moving in from the south mark the first time in over a week the weather forecast calls for conditions that may reduce fire activity. Expected cloud cover would reduce radiant energy on the fire and of course bring a chance of rainfall.

Winds are expected to shift and temperatures will fall while relative humidity could rise into the 20-27 percent range.

The predicted lull in fire activity will give firefighters a chance to double down on efforts to protect buildings in areas that could be threatened in the future. Shaffer's Ranch and Helene Bridge will be the focus of work south of the fire, while Holroyd Park in Wyoming will receive similar attention.

Crews continue mop up operations in the Parsons Draw area, ensuring there are no hot spots that may reignite.

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