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Shovel Creek Community Meeting Recap: Evacuation Levels Downgraded

By Alaska Fire PIOs on July 9, 2019

If you prefer to watch the community meeting on YouTube, click here: https://youtu.be/kOy13_PIXfM

Live – Shovel Creek Fire community meeting at the Ken Kunkel Community Center in Fairbanks, Alaska. The second half of the meeting is all question and answer from the members of the community. #ShovelCreekFire

Shovel Creek Fire Community Meeting at the Ken Kunkel Community Center on July 9th.

Due to the success of recent firing operations around the Murphy Dome and Martin neighborhoods the Pacific Northwest Team 2, managing the fire, has recommended to Fairbanks North Star Borough to lower Evacuation levels from a LEVEL 3 (Go) to a LEVEL 2 (Set) for both the Martin and Perfect Perch neighborhoods effective at noon on Wednesday, July 10. The McCloud neighborhood will remain at a LEVEL 2 (Set) until firefighters complete the remaining section of line that connects Old Murphy Dome Rd to the Chatanika River. In addition, the team has recommended that the Lincoln, Murphy and Vancouver neighborhoods reduce to a LEVEL 1 (Ready).

While the evacuation levels have been lowered for these neighborhoods, the risk to both firefighter and public safety remains our number one priority. To assist in a safe re-entry for homeowners, the Alaska National Guard will relocate several of the checkpoints to help facilitate the process. The areas will open to residential traffic and firefighting personnel traveling to and from the fire line.

Access into both the Martin and Perfect Perch neighborhoods will be staggered to enhance both public and firefighter safety. Beginning at 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, residents may enter the neighborhoods using the Murphy Dome and Old Murphy Dome Roads intersection. Beginning at 6:00 p.m., a secondary access route will be opened at the junction of Spinach Creek and Old Murphy Dome Road. The temporary checkpoint at Old Murphy Dome Road and Bennett Highway will be lifted, allowing traffic access to the Chatanika River area.

The evacuation shelter at Randy Smith School and the pet shelter at Tanana Fairgrounds, established to meet community needs, will be closed. Fairbanks North Star Borough has the ability to reopen the shelters if the need arises. For additional information and resources on evacuations, please visithttp://fnsb.us/eo/Pages/EM.aspx, or call (907)459-1308.

Shovel Creek Fire ReEntry Hotline: (907)371-4608

LEVEL 3 (GO) – None
LEVEL 2 (SET) – McCloud, Martin and Perfect Perch neighborhoods
LEVEL 1 (READY) – Lincoln, Murphy, Vancouver and Chatanika River corridor