Forest fire conditions near Swift River have stabilized for now; the Alaska Highway remains open; and a microwave tower essential for all of the territory's north-south communication stands at low risk, says a spokesman with the territory's Emergency Measures Organization.

Anthony Delorenzo said while the community of 50 or so Swift River residents remain on a two-hour evacuation notice, the Swan Lake fire to the southwest was relatively quiet this morning, remaining at the 3,000-hectare size estimated Thursday.

A sudden and quick advance of the firefront Wednesday afternoon pushed the fire boundary some eight kilometres toward the community and across the Alaska Highway at three different locations, forcing the highway closure of just over 12 hours. It was reopened early yesterday morning.

'The last I heard from the highway people was visibility on the highway has improved but it's not great,' Delorenzo said this morning. 'There is not a lot of wind down there right now so the smoke isn't moving as easily but there is still visibility issues on the road.'

EMO staff held an evacuation briefing for Swift River residents yesterday afternoon, and arrangements have been made to put them up in Watson Lake, if need be.

Of the 12 new fire starts detected over the last 24 hours all lightning-caused the Wildland Fire Management office hit the 135-ha. fire near Faro the hardest.

Initial attack crews responded with support helicopters and retardant bombers from three different air tanker groups.

'We had the resources available, and they wanted to get on it right away,' fire management spokeswoman Paula Webber said this morning. 'We had the resources, so why not pound it?'

The fire is 10 kilometres from Faro and six kilometres from the Blind Creek Farm, Webber said, noting that Faro's volunteer fire department is providing protective services for the fire.

She said of the 12 new fires, 10 are burning in wilderness observation zones.

There are currently 61 active fires in the territory. A total of 74 fires to date has consumed 139,634 hectares.

Webber pointed out the fire suppression duties for the Swan Lake fire will switch hands today, with Yukon firefighting staff being replaced by B.C. firefighters, as the blaze is entirely in British Columbia. The fire is in the area where the Alaska Highway dips into northern B.C., between Teslin and Swift River.

While the Alaska Highway remains open, the highway between Dawson City and Tok, Alaska remains closed because of fires on the Alaska side of the border.

Dawson RCMP Const. Ryan Hack said tourists who arrive to find they cannot continue on to Tok don't seem to be bothered by the news for the most part, as they understand forest fires are forest fires.

And some are taking advantage of the break to take in a little more of the Gold Rush capital, he said.

As conditions remain extreme, the fire management branch continues to build its firefighting capability. Ten initial attack crews of three each are scheduled to arrive this evening from Ontario. Locally, district offices are actively recruiting emergency firefighters, as well as compiling a list of available human resources should the need arise for even more emergency firefighters.

Webber said the territory-wide forecast calls for much of the same hot and dry weather.

There are also thunderstorms and lightning forecast for the Whitehorse area, she said, adding management staff don't like the idea of lightning rolling through the heaviest populated area in the Yukon.

Fire management is also beefing up efforts to spread the word of its Yukon-wide ban on all campfires inside and outside of territorial parks, she said.

Fire officials, she said, have received word that some travellers along the Yukon River have been having campfires, she said.