ELY  (AP) - Firefighters now have a wildfire in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area of northeastern Minnesota more than 50 percent contained.

A Monday morning update says the fire is 53 percent contained. The size remains about 146 square miles.

The number of firefighters assigned to the blaze is up to 968.

But that's a temporary increase as new crews checked in for the day before outgoing crews checked out.

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 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

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