Bean Complex email: 2022.bean@firenet.gov; Tel. 503-894-6694
The Bean Complex fires are burning on lands managed by DOI Bureau of Land Management and the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, along the Tanana Valley west of Fairbanks extending to the Cosna River. Fire protection is under the Alaska Fire Service.
The State Forester for the Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection (DOF) has issued an Emergency Burn Closure Order. The order goes into effect Friday night, July 1, 2022, at 11:59 pm ADST. It restricts all burning that requires a local or state burn permit, including uncontained cooking, warming, and signaling fires.
Of the five fires in the 88,629 acre complex, four are under a “point zone protection” strategy. This means firefighters assess the risk to identified points like cabins and allotments, and take actions to protect them. This can include clearing vegetation, setting up pumps and sprinklers, and intentionally burning fuels to protect these values from an approaching fire.
The #327 Hutlinana Fire is under a “full suppression” strategy, where the objective is 100% control of the perimeter, and extensive mop up. The Hutlinana Fire has remained at 407 acres for several days and is 53% contained.
- The #310 Tanana River Fire, 13,322 acres, has structure protection underway near Deadman Lake, where firefighters are focused on protecting 22 structures. Work is also focused on the Tolovana Roadhouse at the confluence of the Tolovana and Tanana Rivers. Firing operations are complete and risk to this historic structure has been mitigated.
- The #312 Bitzshitini Fire, 24,428 acres, has firing operations underway to secure the southern perimeter to protect structures.
- The #315 Chitanana Fire, 44, 834 acres, has continued cabin protection in place. The fire has burned around the protected area without damage to structures.
- The #343 Dragon Fire, 5,638 acres, has structure assessment and protection underway to protect cabins around Mooseheart Lake approx. 6 miles southwest of the fire.
The fires are burning primarily in black spruce, most in areas with no record of fire in the past 50 years. Overall the complex grew approximately 25,000 acres in the past 24 hours.
Significant growth of all fires but Hutlinana is expected over the next several days. Critical fire weather is expected across the region on Friday and Saturday as hot and dry conditions combine with afternoon and evening thunderstorms, as a disturbance moves north. Thunderstorms will be a mix of wet and dry, with gusty and erratic winds possible.
Today, firefighters will continue protection of structures utilizing pumps and sprinklers, and conduct firing operations where the fire is approaching structures. Work will continue to mop up and secure the Hutlinana Fire. There are 160 people working on the complex.
The Alaska Department of Public Safety has restricted the use of fireworks across much of Alaska. Please refer to www.dps.alaska.gov to see if you’re impacted. With the risk of thunderstorms late in the week, please do your part to prevent new fires. Any new ignitions will continue to impact available resources. Be very careful with off-highway vehicle travel or any other potential source of ignition.
Categories: AK Fire Info
Alaska Wildland Fire Information 