Crews made steady progress over the weekend toward containing the thirty-three-hundred-acre fire threatening the town of Jackson. They also established protection measures for at-risk structures.
So far, nearly 800 buildings have been evaluated for protection, and bulldozers have constructed firebreaks to protect two subdivisions south of town.
Fire Operations Section Chief Allen Mitchell says residents can help by taking precautions around their homes.
“We're only so many people. It would help us greatly if they got out, you know reduced some of that vegetation around their house, moved those woodpiles. There's a lot of stuff they can do to help us be successful."
Although the threat of fire appears to be diminishing, officials are asking residents to stay vigilant and to respect restrictions on outdoor burning.
Already, efforts to contain this 9-day-old fire have cost almost 5 million dollars. More than 600 firefighters are assigned to the fire.
The Elk Refuge Road is closed to pedestrians and bicycles during daylight hours to allow for safe aviation operations and national forest trails remain closed in the Snow King area.
