The goal of fire managers is full suppression of the flames, but given the nature of the fuel -- dense, standing beetle-killed timber -- direct attack by ground crews is simply too dangerous an undertaking in most areas.
Firefighters, now numbering 514 in total, will not directly engage the fire in the Mount Zirkel Wilderness area, opting instead to patrol and assist Forest Service staff in keeping recreationists apprised of the area closure.
Engine crews worked Monday to prepare to defend buildings in the face of advancing flames. Crews are building contingency lines in places that give them the best shot at success.