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Campfire might be cause of Wyoming blaze



BRIDGER-TETON NATIONAL FOREST, Wyoming (CNN) -- Fire officials expect Sunday to be another "red flag warning" day, with high winds, high temperatures and erratic fire activity at the site of the raging wildfire that threatens nearly 200 homes near Jackson, Wyoming.

Fire investigators believe a campfire may be to blame for the blaze.

Meanwhile, more than 1,000 firefighters on Saturday were battling the blaze that has scorched 4,058 acres over six days. The fight is hindered by high winds that are carrying embers up to a half-mile.

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"We've managed to keep it out of the homes," said fire information officer Joe Colwell, "but it's right up there on the doorsteps."

Colwell said Saturday was the first day that investigators could get close enough to the origin of the Green Knoll fire, and preliminary indications are that an "escaped campfire" sparked the wildfire last Sunday.

Colwell said gusts of wind up to 50 mph have caused several spot fires to jump ahead of the main fire, onto the property of some houses. About 150 homes have been evacuated three miles south of Wilson, just outside of Jackson. Many of the homes are worth millions of dollars, Colwell said.

The fire has been 50 percent contained for two days.

The town of Jackson and the nearby Jackson Hole resort area are not threatened by the fire, Interagency Fire Information Officer Joan Anzelmo said,

Twelve helicopters dropped water and nine air tankers released a red-colored fire retardant on the blaze Saturday. Some high-risk structures were coated with "green slime" -- a thermal protective gel that can be hosed off with water after the danger has passed.

"We've probably got homes red from retardant, white from the foam, and green from the slime," Colwell said. "It's going to be a colorful place."

Gusts and dry weather are hampering firefighting efforts.

"We're feeling like today's the day ... it's the test," Colwell said. "I'm calling it the bottom of the ninth -- if we can hold it today and not burn any homes ... we've got it."

But he added that the firefighters have a long way to go before the fire can be fully contained.






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