According to fire managers, the Jackson County Sheriff's Office asked the few remaining residents in Parsons Draw to leave well ahead of the fire's advance.
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.
"It's just not safe to put these firefighters right up against that fire," Sanchez says, citing hazards posed by the high percentage of beetle kill where the fire continues to burn.