The continued rain and cool weather have taken the pressure off Yukon firefighters following a very busy July and early August.

"It really is our best (defence)," George Maratos, Wildland Fire Management's fire information officer, told the Star this morning.

As the territory's firefighters fill out their overtime forms, the 78 extra firefighters and 19 other personnel from Alberta and the Northwest Territories who were here assisting were relieved of their Yukon duties on Monday. They returned back to their homes on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the DC-6 and one bird-dog that were stationed here from Abbottsford, B.C. for the summer (as it is each year) is set to return south on Saturday, while the fire cat group will leave next week, Maratos said.

While most fire districts are at a low danger rating, Haines Junction, Teslin and Whitehorse are all listed as being moderate.

No new fires have been reported, but the existing blazes are continuing to be monitored.

In Teslin, the Teslin complex fires during to the south of Teslin Lake are 6,100 hectares in size while the Quiet Lake blaze, about 25 kilometres east of the lake, is at 635 hectares.

"Changes in weather have reduced the smoky haze in the Teslin area," the daily fire report reads.

"Fire officials are in communication with the community, RCMP and (Department of) Highways staff are monitoring the situation closely.

"Firefighters are stationed at the Teslin base; additional personnel can be called in if required. The local volunteer fire department is on standby."

A total of five fires have burned 7,045 hectares there this season.

Meanwhile, in Watson Lake, six fires continue to burn.

The McKinnon Lake fire is around 50 hectares large and is burning next to the B.C./Yukon boarder, about 15 kilometres southwest of McKinnon Lake.

The Jack Pine Complex, at kilometre 58 of the Nahanni Range Road, is made up of two fires burning 2,258 hectares. Structural protection has been put in place five to 10 kilometres north of the fire.

The South Francis Lake Complex is made up of three fires burning 30 kilometres north of Tuchitua at 5,506 hectares large. It's burning on both sides of the Frances River.

The Liard Complex includes six fires, 19,285 hectares in size west of the Liard River near Allan Creek, while the Tuchitua Complex is made up of five fires at 10,101 hectares large. It's by the

Frances River Bridge and confined to the east side of the river with firefighters on site for structural protection.

Finally, the Tootsie River fire is 2,600 hectares large, about 15 kilometres south of kilometre 1059 on the Alaska Highway. Sprinklers have been put in place around a mining camp in the area.

The Watson Lake district has seen 33 fires burn more than 46,061 hectares.

In Carmacks, the Little Salmon Lake fire continues at 42,300 hectares with 10 firefighters on site while the Buffalo Corrals fire continues to be monitored closely.

In the district, 11 fires have burned more than 91,713 hectares.

Finally in the Whitehorse district, the Teslin River Fire, 60 kilometres northeast of Whitehorse, is at 27,500 hectares. A total of 24 fires have burned more than 27,667 hectares.

In other districts:

• three fires have burned more than 355 hectares in Beaver Creek;

• 24 fires have burned more than 110,493 hectares in Dawson;

• three fires have burned just a little more than half a hectare in Haines Junction;

• four fires have burned more than 226 hectares in Mayo;

• two fires have burned more than 1,173 hectares in Old Crow; and

• nine fires have burned more than 383 hectares in Ross River.

While 87 of the fires have been caused by lightning, the remaining 31 have been human-caused.