The Ross Fork Fire has burned more than 37,000 acres in the Sawtooth National Forest.
Growth continues to slow, and crews have increased containment to 28 percent.
This time of year would still be busy for places like Luther Heights Bible Camp and Perkins Camp, with all kinds of activities. Those have either been moved to other places, been cancelled or rescheduled.
Both camps would typically get visitors coming from all over the country, but their areas are still under forest closures.
"To see different pictures and as the fire was growing at that point, there was yeah, fear, wonder, hope still, hope we were gonna be okay," said Kelli Preboski, the director of Luther Heights.
After more than a month, firefighters battling the Ross Fork Fire seem to finally be turning a corner.
Recent rains have helped moderate fire behavior, according to officials.
"Our team is really comfortable with where the fire is at right now," said Juan Delgado, a public information officer on the fire.
Evacuation notices have all been downgraded to a 'ready' status.
Forest closures in the fire area remain in place.
Some resources are leaving - to help with other wildfires burning in the West.
"Specifically in California and Oregon, there's a need for resources, so we're using our resources as much as we can," Delgado said. "If it's something that we can spare, we'll share them and we'll send them over to the fires that need them."
Preboski got to visit the camp Thursday.
It's not the first time she, her staff and guests have had to evacuate. There was another fire this time last year too.
Crews have pumps and hose lays set up around cabins at both camps, to use in case the fire were to come closer.
"They are protecting a place they may never be to again, what a love to the people and nature, wow," Preboski said.
Thankfully the fire hasn’t reached the Luther Heights camp or Camp Perkins.
"Even though the view is going to look quite different especially the Alturas ridge is going to look very different, I am so thankful that they kept the fire from crossing Alturas Creek Road," said Signe White, the Director of Camp Perkins, who also got to visit the camp this week. "Even though I knew nothing had burned in the camp, just being able to see it and to go into the buildings and to go down to the lake, and to see the view, and to be in that place again was such a gift to be able to see it in tact."
For Camp Perkins, some planned group activities have been cancelled, while others have been rescheduled for later in October.
"It's really amazing the work that they were able to do and accomplish in such a short time. To think about where we were just a week ago and where we're at now," White said.
Preboski says they’ve still hosted events, just in other places.
Both camps are eager to hopefully soon welcome guests back.
"We will hear laughter and see joy and see people hug here again. So there's immense gratitude, there's immense hope in being able to see the site," Preboski said.
So far there's no timeline for when they can return. They're hoping for sometime in October.
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