Good progress is being made on the Deshka Landing Fire southwest of Willow, Alaska.  Mop up activities are continuing as the remaining fire crews methodically grid the fire area, extinguishing hotspots as they are discovered.  Crews on the ground are working with hand tools, hoses and pumps, and a thermal imaging camera made available by the West Lakes Fire Department. Most of the remaining work has been on the southern area of the fire, but the northern sections are also being monitored.

Back-Haul:  A major effort is underway to remove the 25 miles of fire hoses, over 40 gasoline powered water pumps and other material no longer needed for fire suppression or mop up. The majority is being air-lifted by helicopter but some is coming out on the backs of firefighters. The collected material is returning to the fire cache in Palmer where it will be cleaned and refurbished for the next time it is needed. 

All the pumps, hoses, and sprinklers installed around the buildings on the shore of Red Shirt Lake have been gathered by the Prineville Hotshots and boated to a site where it could be bundled in nets and flown out by helicopter.

Closures:  The recent closures of portions of Game Management Unit 14A, State lands in the area, and the western portion of the Nancy Lake Recreation area remain. Details about the closures can be found at:  https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/closures/6532/

The TFR (Temporary Flight Restriction) over the fire remains in place.  In a short video, Air Attack Supervisor, Dean Thornberry explained his concerns and what pilots can do if they need to access the area; (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEnEHV-ryQo). Specific information about the TFR can be found at: https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_9_5299.html. 

Emergency Burning Restrictions Lifted:  The emergency burn closure issued on August 21 on state, private and municipal lands in the Kenai Peninsula and Matanuska-Susitna Borough was rescinded at 8:00 a.m. Tuesday, September 4. Open burning and burn barrels are still prohibited.  For more information go to http://dnr.alaska.gov/.

Weather:  Warm and dry conditions will continue into Saturday.  On Saturday evening low pressure will break the ridge of high pressure bringing a chance of wetting rain to the fire area.

Fire Information: (907) 715-9205                   
Email:  deshkalandingfireinfo@gmail.com
Web: www.akfireinfo.com                             
Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6532/
Facebook:  Matanuska-Susitna Borough

Acreage: 1,318              Containment:  95%           
Personnel:   144           Start Date: 08/17/2019

Categories: AK Fire Info