Firefighters working on the 14,187-acre Boundary River Fire (#362) laid over 2 miles of hose on Wednesday to provide water for protection of Native allotments closest to the fire. Crews also widened the saw line around several Native allotments and established three new helicopter landing sites to be used for supply and medical evacuation purposes. Crews moved their camps closer to the fire’s northern flank to bolster point protection assets in that area.

There are currently 153 personnel from Montana, California, and Fairbanks assisting on the fire, which was started by lightning on June 23. The fire is located 40 miles southeast of Tok and approximately 9 miles southwest of the village of Northway.

Today, crews will continue structure protection around cabins in the area and fire managers are developing an evacuation plan for Northway, in the event one was needed.

Smoke from the 22,000-acre McArthur Creek Fire (#133) burning along the Alaska/Canada border about 40 miles to the east was pushed over the Boundary River Fire by north winds, adding to the smoke in the area. That lightning-caused fire is burning in a limited protection area and no suppression action has been taken with the exception of point protection on cabins. Firefighters will continue to monitor the fire by air, check on structures and work to improve containment lines. There are 14 personnel working on the fire.

With warmer and drier weather expected, fire and smoke activity on both fires is expected to increase.

A temporary flight restriction remains in effect over the fire area, which includes drones. More information on the TFR can be found at https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_9_5784.html.

Categories: AK Fire Info