Yukon Wildland Fire Management officials have lifted the open fire ban that was issued last Friday for the central and northern parts of the territory.

The City of Whitehorse also lifted its ban earlier today.

Cooler temperatures and rain on Monday have helped reduce the fire danger and limit new starts, territorial officials said in a statement.

"We appreciate the public's support in abiding by the ban,” said duty officer Mike Sparks.

"While the ban is no longer in place, we are asking the public to be responsible when burning and to continue to report wildfires.”

Though fire activity slowed on Canada Day, firefighters were kept very busy over the long weekend. A total of 29 new fires have been reported in the territory since Friday, with the Ross River district seeing the most activity.

The Robert Campbell Highway was again closed over the weekend as fire crews continued to battle a blaze that grew to more than 1,000 hectares near the Little Salmon River, about 45 kilometres east of Carmacks.

"(Sunday) night, the fire was showing explosive rank six fire behaviour and at one point crossed the Robert Campbell Highway and is now burning on both sides,” Sparks said Monday.

The road continued to be closed periodically Sunday and through Monday.

A total of 36 firefighters from both the Yukon and B.C. and three helicopters have been assigned to the fire along with an incident management team.

It was strong winds through the central part of the territory that saw the fire grow.

On Sunday, six new fires were reported, with the most significant being two triggered by lightning in the Haines Junction fire district north of the Aishihik Road near Hawkins Lake.

Firefighters and helicopters were used to immediately take action on the blazes.

Crews also fought a small fire at Mayo Lake that was expected to be extinguished Monday.

Meanwhile, in the Whitehorse district, firefighters from both Wildland Fire Management and the Ibex Valley Volunteer Fire Department put a human-caused grass fire near the Ibex Valley.

The other two fires found Sunday are in the Carmacks zone in a wilderness area where there are no properties at risk.

Suppression efforts continue on the blaze burning in the Ross River district about 18 kilometres east of Faro.

Despite strong winds throughout the weekend, high relative humidity has limited the fire's growth.

The additional blazes through the weekend brings the number of fires in the territory this season up to 108; they have burned 22,700 hectares.

Fire officials are also advising the public there may be smoky conditions in the territory from mounting fire activity in Alaska, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories, as well as a large fire in the Yukon's Watson Lake district near False Creek, about 30 kilometres north of the Alaska Highway.

"While it is quite visible, it is not currently threatening any values,” officials said in a statement Monday.

A major Alaska fire is blowing smoke into Beaver Creek and western Yukon.

Nineteen Arizon firefighters perish over the weekend ....