Update from Type 3 Incident Commander Torrey Short with the news that 100% containment is estimated for sometime this weekend. Current Containment: 80% Acres: 102 Personnel: 59 Weather: cloudy and cooler today
The UAF Wildland Fire Crew Nanooks Wildland Fire Type 2 hand crew was inserted into the fire yesterday and worked with Gannett Glacier Fire Crew to search for heat and mop up deeper into the fire perimeter. Cooler, cloudy weather has moderated fire behavior, with no fire growth and very few areas of smoke showing. A fire break has been cut around the fire and crews have a hose line around the entire fire perimeter allowing for significant progress with mopping up.
Crews will coordinate their areas of coverage today, prioritizing mopping up the mosaic edges of the green islands within the perimeter and along the edge of Swan Lake. With the constant concern of interactions with bears and other wildlife, the crews continue to focus on maintaining clean camps and backhauling trash every time a helicopter lands to deliver personnel or supplies.
Today is the Gannett Glacier crew’s last full shift on the fire, and tomorrow they will be extracted and will return to Palmer for two days rest before their next assignment. Gannett Glacier was the first hand crew to respond to this lightning-caused fire and they deserve a rest before moving to their next fire.. The objective for crews and fire managers now is to mop up the fire 100 feet or more inside of the perimeter to lessen chances that it may cross control lines. Operations chiefs Zach Fleming and trainee Kevin Menkens have been embedded with the crews and have been camping on the fireline.
A line-qualified Alaska Fire Medic is staged at the helibase in Sterling with a full complement of both basic and advanced life support to support crews for any medical issues. The highest priority on this fire is to ensure that every firefighter returns safely to camp at the end of shift, and leaves this assignment healthy and ready for the next wildfire.
A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) remains in place with a three mile “no fly” area from the center of the fire. For details about the TFR, go to https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_1_2229.html#alaska2021fireseason #FireYear2021 #ifyouflywecant
Categories: Active Wildland Fire, AK Fire Info, Alaska DNR - Division of Forestry (DOF)
Alaska Wildland Fire Information 