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Wildfire In NE Minn. Now 59 Percent Contained

ELY, Minn. (AP) -- Firefighters report another good day battling a wildfire in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area of northeastern Minnesota.

The fire is now 59 percent contained as of Monday night. The size remains about 146 square miles.

Fire information officer Ted Pettis says 789 firefighters are now assigned to the blaze, which has been burning in the wilderness for nearly six weeks.

Air crews dropped 267,000 gallons of water on the fire Sunday.

The forecast calls for warmer weather Tuesday and Wednesday, with highs near 70, and slightly windier. The chance of rain doesn't return until Wednesday night.

Lightning started the fire Aug. 18 about 13 miles east of Ely.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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