Wilderness fire closer to containment

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RENO " Calmer winds, cooler temperatures and higher humidity helped firefighters gain ground on a blaze burning in rugged terrain along the Nevada-Idaho line.

Fire managers today said the East Slide Rock Ridge fire, burning near the tiny towns of Jarbidge and Murphy Hot Springs, Idaho, has burned about 66 square miles.

Wind gusting to 45 mph on Monday spread the flames and forced most of the nearly 500 firefighters battling the blaze off the lines because of dangerous conditions.

But nature provided a break on Tuesday, when winds shifted to the northwest and pushed some areas of the fire back into itself.

The fire was sparked by lightning Aug. 8.