PINEWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. -- Rain was forecast in the area of the Biig Elk Fire as it continued burning Sunday, moving to within four miles of Estes Park, Colo.

Along with the rain forecast came increased humidities which helped firefighters battling the stubborn blaze. The fire was five percent contained Sunday.

As many as 725 structures were threatened by the fire, according to the Forest Service. Not all of those structures are homes, however.

The Big Elk fire was declared a "Type I" wildfire, the most serious designation. A federal Type I management team was on the scene Saturday and was scheduled to take over the direction of operations Sunday.

Only the largest and most dangerous fires receive the Type I designation, with the most highly-trained firefighters assigned to manage and fight the fire.

Firefighters started battling the blaze Saturday morning without the help of slurry-dropping air tankers which had been grounded since the fatal crash of a PB4Y air tanker near the fire Thursday night. Only water-carrying helicopters were left in the arsenal of air weapons to help firefighters on the ground.

Three helicopters -- capable of carrying 1,000-gallon and 200-gallon loads -- flew continuously to dump water on the wildfire.

BIG ELK FIRE INTERACTIVE ARTICLE: Plane In Previous Crash Owned By Same Company VIDEO: Eyewitnesses Describe Crash VIDEO: Working Life Of Tanker Pilots VIDEO: Role Of Air Tankers VIDEO: Evacuee Tells His Story SLIDESHOW: Air Tanker Overview SLIDESHOW: Big Elk Fire - Day 1 SLIDESHOW: Big Elk Fire - Day 2 Big Elk Fire Map FLASH: Fire Causes And Protections DISCUSSION: Should Old Planes Still Be Used? RESOURCES Evacuation Tips Smell Smoke? MAP:Fire Point Of Origin USFS: Big Elk Fire Larimer County Web Site Current Colorado Wildfires Clickable Colorado Wildfires Map

A single slurry bomber resumed firefighting late Saturday afternoon when a tanker crew out of South Dakota volunteered to make drops on the Big Elk fire.

The fire grew to an estimated 4,400 acres Saturday, threatening the evacuated Big Elk Meadow subdivision. There are a total of 152 homes in the subdivision: 124 are in Larimer County and 28 in Boulder County.

More homes were evacuated later Saturday: a two to three mile area along Highway 36 northwest of Pinewood Springs was evacuated. The affected area was between Lion's Gulch and Harvest House. The evacuation area does include Jellystone, but does not include Pole Hill, officials said.

Big Elk Meadows, Cheley Camp, Lake Pasture and Little Valley were also under mandatory evacuation. Buttonrock and Longmont Dam Road were put on evacuation alert. Estes Park west of Fishcreek and south of Highway 34 ere under an evacuation advisory. Twin Sisters south to Meeker Park was also under an evacuation advisory.

Pole Hill Road was inadvertently evacuated Saturday. Authorities said that Pole Hill Road is only on alert.

Residents of Pinewood Springs are on standby of a possible evacuation in the future.

About 350 additional firefighters were ordered to fight the fire. Some crews arrived Saturday, and the remainder will arrive as they become available.

The fire moved into the Big Elk Meadows subdivision Saturday. Firefighters worked to foam houses, and crews cut down nearby trees in what appeared to be a successful effort to fight off the advancing flames.

The fire was moving toward one of Colorado's original settlements. Homestead Meadows, at the end of the three-mile Lion Gulch trail, is home to eight historical structures that were built between 1889 and 1923. Officials said one of the structures has already been lost to the fire.

Officials said the blaze is human-caused. Fire investigators were looking for two white men seen near along Larimer County Road 47 where the fire started Wednesday. They were driving a white Jeep, either a CJ-7 or Wrangler.

Highway 36 remained closed to motorists, except residents of the area, from Pinewood Springs to Estes Park.

Thursday's Crash

Photographs of Thursday's air tanker crash showed a fireball coming from the 47-year-old plane and the left wing separating from the main fuselage. The main body of the plane, with flames coming from the side, crashed on the north side of the fire, within one-hundred yards of Highway 36. Parts of the wreckage even fell on the highway, 7NEWS reported.

A photo-student at the Art Institute of Colorado took dramatic pictures of the accident. The photos, taken by Matt Inden, were shown on 7NEWS. The photos were also made available on the Web by the Rocky Mountain News.

The severed wing and an engine from the doomed plane were found about a quarter mile away from the main wreckage. Investigators said that both pilots died on impact.

Investigators said that it was too early to speculate on the cause of the crash.

Previous Stories:

• July 20, 2002: Big Elk Fire Expands Again
• July 20, 2002: Pilot Killed In Crash Was Newly Married
• July 19, 2002: Big Elk Fire Now 2,500 Acres And Growing
• July 19, 2002: Internal Memo Questioned Aircraft Maintainance
• July 18, 2002: Plane In Previous Crash Owned By Same Company
• July 18, 2002: 2 Killed When Air Tanker Fighting Big Elk Fire Crashes
July 18, 2002: Wildfire Near Estes Park, Pinewood Springs Lays Down
• July 12, 2002: Forest Service Under Fire From Widow Of Airtanker Pilot
• June 18, 2002: Investigation Begins In Fatal Air Tanker Crash
• June 18, 2002: 3 Die In California Air Tanker Crash
• June 17, 2002: Air Tanker Crashes Fighting Sierra Wildfire