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All Fires in the Upper Yukon Area Now Managed by the Alaska Black Team: Wednesday August 7, 2019 Update

By akfirepios on August 7, 2019

Rain continued to be widespread over the Upper Yukon Flats on Tuesday, giving firefighters the upper hand, as crews remain fully engaged in mop-up and backhaul of equipment on multiple wildfires in the region. The Alaska Type 2 Black Team will take over management of both the Chalkyitsik and Cornucopia complexes today.

The Tettjajik Creek Fire (#424) burned near cabins on the Salmon Fork of the Black River as seen in this Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2019, aerial photograph. Sam Harrel/Alaska Interagency Incident Management Team

Significant fire spread on the wildfires is not expected, but interior fuels will continue to burn and produce visible smoke. Lower duff layers are stubbornly resisting mop up and retaining heat due to persistent drought conditions. These lower layers are now temporarily capped under a moist surface layer that will easily dry. Rain in excess of 4 inches is needed to significantly dampen the lower duff layers.

Chalkyitsik Complex August 7 fire map. Continued rain and high relative humidity have resulted in minimal to no fire growth or change in the fire map.

Cornucopia Complex August 7 fire map. The only fire in the complex with firefighters completing work is the Chandalar Fire pictured here.

Fire personnel will continue to monitor fires and conduct reconnaissance flights to monitor fire activity. Chalkyitsik Complex: Mop up activities and backhaul of equipment, pumps and hoses continue around the village of Chalkyitsik. Firefighters continue to assess the need for structure protection equipment near cabins and allotments along the Draanjik River corridor, Ohtig and Chahalie Lakes. The need for protection equipment to remain at John Herberts Village on the Porcupine River is also being assessed.

Cornucopia Complex: Three crews remain on the Chandalar River Fire, near Venetie, completeing their mop up and starting to remove excess equipment. The other fires in the complex have had suppression equipment removed and are in monitor status.

WEATHER: A weak surface trough over the Yukon Flats will help generate enough instability for scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms that will persist until the weekend. Fire weather concerns will be minimal, as minimum relative humidities will remain above 40% and temperatures will only peak in the 60s.

SAFETY: Residents in the area are asked to remain vigilant both in the short and long term when re-entering areas or allotments that have been impacted by fire activity. The fire has burned underground in many areas of the tundra, into deep duff and through tree roots increasing the possibility of falling. Walking through blackened areas is not safe.

Chalkyitsik Complex: Tractor Trail 2 Fire (#348) 90,970 acres, Frozen Calf Fire (#367) 238,989 acres, Bearnose Hill Fire (#407) 130,335 acres, Te_jajik Creek Fire (#424) 41,301, Small Timber Lake Fire (#687) 34 acres. [501,621 acres total]

Cornucopia Complex: Hadweenzic River Fire (#337) 61,290 acres, Chandalar River Fire (#349) 12,977 acres, East Fork Chandalar Fire (#572) 190 acres, Tony Slough (#493) 7,961 acres, Trail Creek Fire (#621) 2,132 acres, Sixty-One Mountain 1 Fire (#622) 72 acres, The Woodsman Fire (#602) 0.1 acres, Coal River Fire (#601) 2, 606 acres, Pitka River Fire (#573) 1,260 acres, Thazzik Mountain Fire (#594) 4,992 acres, Schilling Creek Fire (#653) 517.2 acres. [93,997.3 acres]

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For current statewide fire information call 907-356-5511 or visit AKFIREINFO.COM online.