More than 50 firefighters are continuing to mop up the Brock Road Fire outside of Fairbanks as they try to fully contain the 21-acre fire before temperatures heat up over the next few days.
The fire was 75 percent contained as of Tuesday morning, a slight decrease from the containment reported yesterday after firefighters were able to better inspect the fire from the ground and air. Firefighters have cut a saw line around the fire and there is a hose line around the fire to provide water to extinguish any hot spots found along the perimeter. A bulldozer has also cleared a line around the entire fire perimeter.
Two members of the UAF Nanooks Crew fall a tree during initial attack of the Brock Road Fire on Sunday, June 27, 2021. Josh Turnbow/UAF Nanooks Crew 
An aerial photo of the Brock Road Fire taken by air attack personnel on Monday morning, June 28, 2021. The red lines around the fire are retardant that was dropped during initial attack on Sunday, June 27, 2021. Tim Whitesell/Alaska DNR-Division of Forestry 
The UAF Nanooks Wildland Fire Crew marches to the fireline during initial attack of the Brock Road Fire on Sunday, June 27, 2021. Josh Turnbow/UAF Nanooks Crew 
A Fire Boss water-scooping plane dips water from Chena Lakes during initial attack of the Brock Road Fire on Sunday, June 27, 2021. Becky Manbeck/BLM Alaska Fire Service 
An aerial photo of the Brock Road Fire at approximately 10:30 p.m. Sunday following initial attack on the fire by aircraft and firefighters on the ground. Isaac Solomon/Alaska DNR-Division of Forestry 
A helicopter flies over the Brock Road Fire during initial attack on Sunday, June 27, 2021. Josh Turnbow/UAF Nanooks Crew 
A picture of the Brock Road Fire taken at approximately 3:45 p.m. during initial attack. Burning in dense black spruce, the fire grew rapidly until aircraft bombed it with water and retardant to slow its progress. Tim Whitesell/Alaska DNR-Division of Forestry 
A member of the UAF Nanooks Crew cuts down a black spruce tree during initial attack of the Brock Road Fire on Sunday, June 27, 2021. Josh Turnbow/UAF Nanooks Crew 
A photo of the Brock Road Fire taken by Fairbanks Area Forestry helitack during initial attack on Sunday, June 27, 2021. Isaac Solomon/Alaska DNR-Division of Forestry 
A Fire Boss water-scooping plane dips water from Chena Lakes during initial attack of the Brock Road Fire on Sunday, June 27, 2021. Becky Manbeck/BLM Alaska Fire Service 
The Brock Road Fire near North Pole at around 6:30 p.m. Sunday, June 27, 2021 following an aggressive aerial attack. Acreage was reduced from an estimated 50 acres to 21 as of 9 p.m. 
Fairbanks Area Forestry helitack snapped this photo of the smoke column from the Brock Road Fire in the distance shortly after it was reported Sunday, June 27, 2021. Isaac Solomon/Alaska DNR-Division of Forestry 
A photo of the Brock Road Fire taken by Fairbanks Area Forestry helitack during initial attack on Sunday, June 27, 2021. A smaller spot fire is visible to the right of the main smoke column. Isaac Solomon/Alaska DNR-Division of Forestry 
A Fire Boss water-scooping plane approaches Chena Lakes to dip another load of water during initial attack of the Brock Road Fire on Sunday, June 27, 2021. Becky Manbeck/BLM Alaska Fire Service
The human-caused fire erupted Sunday about 8 ½ miles southeast of Fairbanks in a wooded area near the intersection of Brock and Repp roads. It grew quickly but an aggressive aerial attack helped tame the fire and a bulldozer was able to clear a containment line around the fire to keep it in check until crews arrived. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
There are three crews working to fully contain the fire. The 19-man White Mountain Crew and the 17-person UAF Nanooks Crew were part of the initial attack force on Sunday and the 14-person Fairbanks #1 Type 2 crew was mobilized to the fire on Monday.
As of Tuesday morning, crews had mopped up 5 feet inside the perimeter of the fire to reduce potential for flare ups that could cross the control line. Today, crews are mopping up deeper into the perimeter and patrolling the unburned green area around the fire for any hot spots. Fire behavior was described as creeping with isolated tree torching in unburned pockets in the interior of the fire.
A drone equipped with infrared imagery was flown over the fire earlier today to identify any sources of heat that firefighters can focus their attention on.
Conditions are forecast to get hotter and drier through Friday, with temperatures climbing into the low 80s on Thursday and Friday before a low-pressure system brings cooler weather this weekend with possible rain showers.
Categories: Active Wildland Fire, AK Fire Info
Alaska Wildland Fire Information 