Clear Fire on east side of Teklanika River

By Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection on June 21, 2022

Last update tonight 10:30 pm— Precipitation was reported on the fire. Winds have driven fire growth. It is estimated to be over 1,000 acres. White Mountain T2IA crew has arrived and at staging and will be shuttled to fire. Prineville and Wolf Creek Hotshots are en route. All three retardant tankers have made their final run..

8:00 pm—Nine smokejumpers have been deployed to the fire. Two retardant tankers are loading and returning to the fire.10 Fire Bosses are working on the flanks to cool down the fire’s edge until crews can be shuttled to the fire by helicopter. Winds are reported out of the west, pushing the fire to east. Estimated to be 200 acres.

9:30 pm – Storm cells continue to move through the area creating unpredictable wind shifts. Smokejumpers are starting structure protection operations along the Teklanika River should the fire turn. Tankers, Fire Bosses and water dropping helicopters are still working.

This is a photograph showing a smoke column rising in the distance looking from a helibase. — A column of smoke rises in a cloudy sky from the Clear Fire (#346) on Tuesday, June 21, 2022. This is looking west from the Clear, Alaska, helibase. Alaska Division of Forestry photo

7:00 pm: Smokejumpers, helicopters, two retardant tankers, a group of six Fire Boss tankers along with their Birddog lead plane are in route to a new fire on the east side of the Teklanika River. The Clear Fire (#346) is 10 miles northwest of Anderson. Initial size up is 100 acres, actively burning White Mountain T2IA Crew is being flown from Aggie Creek Fire (#284) via helicopter.

This will be updated as more information becomes available.