The Stewart-Cassiar Highway is closed because of a forest fire in northern B.C. while firefighters in the Yukon are mostly protecting values, including heritage values.

Highway 37 running from the Yukon down through B.C. is closed at Junction 37, where the highway meets the Alaska Highway west of Watson Lake.

There is no word on when it will open.

B.C. firefighters are gearing up for the long haul to battle the lightning-cause blaze, which grew from 68 hectares Tuesday afternoon to some 3,000 up until this morning.

The fire is located approximately 35 kilometres south of the Yukon-B.C. border, B.C. fire information officer Lindsay Carnes said today from her office in Smithers.

"We have 13 firefighters in the area,” she said. "We are mobilizing more firefighters because of the strong winds and the aggressive activity of the fire.

"The firefighters we have on site are just working at identifying and protecting structures, but they are not actively fighting the fire because of its aggressive nature.”

Carnes said plans are underway to have a camp large enough to accommodate 100 firefighters in place by Sunday.

While temperatures are expected to moderate somewhat, strong winds are expected today, and it is just the beginning of the fire season, she noted.

Carnes said she understands none of the identified values are full- time residences.

The fire has jumped the highway, and the Dease River, she said.

Yukon fire information officer George Maratos said most firefighting activity in the territory is also focused on protecting values, particularly in the gold fields south of Dawson City.

Firefighters have also put up structural protection around the S.S. Evelyn, a large sternwheeler dry-docked on blocks near the confluence of the Yukon and Teslin rivers where a wildfire in the wilderness zone has grown to 7,300 hectares.

Maratos said river travellers are being advised to avoid the area.

Historical records indicate the Evelyn, first christened as the Norcom in Alaska, plied the Yukon River in the early 1900s, up until 1931.

Firefighters have also put up fire protection around the historic Dredge #10 along the Dominion Road, Maratos pointed out.

The Frenchman Lake, Tatchun Lake and Nunatuk Lake territorial campgrounds remain closed today after being evacuated Wednesday.

That measure was taken due to a 4,000-hectare fire burning in the wilderness zone northeast of Frenchman Lake.

Maratos said of the 24 firefighters from B.C. who arrived here Tuesday to augment local resources, six were sent to Dawson City, six to Mayo, six to Carmacks and six remained in Whitehorse.

Under standard practice in the Yukon, no action is taken on wildfires burning in the wilderness zone.

Maratos said while the somewhat cooler temperatures with a bit of rain in the south are welcome, weather conditions in Carmacks, Mayo and Ross River remain extreme.

Temperatures are expected to climb back up above normal early next week, he said.