Fort Yukon and Venetie will see an influx of firefighting personnel in the next couple of days to work on wildfires burning in northeastern Alaska. Parts of the Yukon Flats may see some scattered precipitation in the area a couple of days. A drying trend will return in Eastern Alaska on Thursday.
Driven by wind and exceptionally dry fuels, the fire grew exponentially on Sunday despite an aggressive aerial response. with growth primarily on the north edge of the fire into what fire managers described as a “sea of black spruce” that has not burned in 30 years.
The reduced fire activity due to the rain prompted fire managers with the Alaska Division of Forestry to recommend reducing the evacuation level for homes and cabins along the end of Chena Hot Springs Road from a “Set” to a “Ready” effective immediately. The Fairbanks North Star Borough announced the reduced evacuation status at 2 p.m. Monday.
The fire burned up to and around the cabin but firefighters arrived in time to extinguish the flames before they ignited the cabin.
There were two lightning strikes recorded in the area, including one in close proximity to where the fire started on the edge of the Haystack Fire perimeter. The fire origin was located in a green finger of unburned vegetation between a four-wheeler trail and a dozer line constructed for the Haystack Fire.
The State of Alaska has a cross-border “splash and dash” agreement with Canada to provide aerial assistance with wildfire suppression, if resources are available.
A helicopter is on scene dropping water on the 2- to 3-acre fire and Helitack firefighters have been deployed to attack it on the ground. Two water-scooping aircraft based at Fort Wainwright have been ordered for water drops. Two more water scoopers and an air tanker that are currently working on a fire near Tok have also been requested to respond, as well as a hand crew.
Fire managers from Fairbanks Area Forestry are monitoring a new 100-acre wildfire burning in a Limited protection area east and south of the Steese Highway about 40 miles northeast of Fairbanks. It is roughly 15 miles northwest of the ongoing Munson Creek Fire near Chena Hot Springs.
The Black Hills Fire was reported on Wednesday and is burning about 2 miles west of Jatahmund Lake and 3 miles east of the Nabesna River. Smoke from the fire is visible from the Alaska Highway, Tok CutOff and Tetlin Road. There are several lakes and ponds in the area that will serve as natural barriers to help slow the progress of the fire.
The Alaska Type 1 Incident Management Team, two Alaska hotshot crews and more than a dozen Alaska Smokejumpers have been mobilized to the Lower 48 to assist with wildland fire management in the western United States.
