Crews made excellent progress placing saw line from the Elliott Highway north to the Cleary Creek drainage to tie into an already burned area of the #HessCreekFire. This line will provide a solid anchor point to begin firing operations should firefighters need to conduct burnout operations along the Elliott Highway. Today, crews will likely begin clearing brush and trees from along the highway to create a wider fuel break between the highway and the fire.
Firefighters continued mopping up the spot fires south of Elliott Highway, removing lingering heat to prevent additional ignitions. Engines patrolled the highway checking pumps and hose lays to make sure they were deployable should fire activity increase and make a run through the black spruce. Cabins closest to the fire’s edge are being monitored closely. Crews continue to work hand in hand with property owners within the Livengood area to enhance defensible space. The Air National Guard is running a Distributed Real-Time Infrared (DRTI) mission and will be using manned aircraft to fly the fire and then relay that information to technicians on the ground at the Hess Creek Fire. Infrared data from the flight will allow the team to identify hot spots and tailor their plan of operations to more effectively engage the fire.
A flight around the Hess Creek Fire yesterday showed continued movement along the north and northeast boundary, with the fire now approximately 2 ½ miles away from the Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge. The fire held steady in the hardwoods along the west, south and eastern perimeters. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) public use Colorado Creek Cabin is 5 ½ miles from the perimeter. While the fire is still over 2 miles away from the Colorado Creek Trailhead, the public is urged to use good judgment before recreating in that vicinity.
Fire Behavior and Weather: Today it is expected to be partly sunny with a chance of rain showers in the morning. The chance of thunderstorms increases throughout the day with a slight chance of rain showers in the afternoon. Southwest winds are expected to be 5-10 mph with gusty and erratic winds around thunderstorm.
Public Awareness: For current road conditions, go to the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities’ 511.alaska.gov website. Stay up-to-date on current air quality information by visiting: https://fires.airfire.org/outlooks/Alaska.
Start Date: June 21, 2109
Cause: Lightning
Location: 12 miles northeast of Livengood, AK
Acreage: 170,295 acres
Percent Contained: 0%
Personnel: 74
Hours of operation: 8 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Contact Fire Information: 208-269-4413
Email: HessCreekFire2019@gmail.com
Website: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6404
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BLMAFS
Categories: Active Wildland Fire, AK Fire Info, Alaska DNR - Division of Forestry (DOF), BLM Alaska Fire Service
Alaska Wildland Fire Information 