Final daily update for the Dalton Highway Complex

By Dalton Highway Complex on July 27, 2022

California Interagency Incident Management Team 14 will transition management of the Dalton Highway Complex to the BLM Alaska Fire Service at 11 p.m. today, July 27. This will be the final daily update on the Dalton Highway Complex unless significant fire activity occurs.

All parts of the Dalton Highway Complex received from a quarter to a half an inch of rain from the latest weather system moving through the Interior. As the forecasted weather warms up later in the week, firefighters will keep an eye out for heat in the deeper duff layers; however, the smoldering hotspots that remain are neither abundant nor expected to cause any of the fires to grow. Overall containment of the Dalton Highway Complex remains at 57%, with little to no visible smoke or heat on any of the fires in the Complex.

An aerial view of the Troublesome fire showing smoke in various locations in the burned vegetation — Aerial view the Troublesome Fire (#359) and the lingering hotspots that are producing smoke but pose little threat to the fire’s current perimeter.
Photo Credit: California Interagency IMT 14

Firefighters will relocate from the Arctic Circle basecamp to Five Mile Campground just north of the Yukon River Camp to consolidate crew members and remaining equipment.

Dalton Highway Complex (89,100 acres): The Dalton Highway Complex consists of 17 fires east and west of the Dalton Highway corridor from Livengood and Rampart on the south side of the complex to Coldfoot on the north side. The acreage total includes all fires in the Dalton Highway Complex. The largest or most active fires in the complex are:

Douglas Fire (#336): 23,124 acres, 36% contained, located on both sides of the Dalton Highway between MP 141 and MP 149
Fort Hamlin Hills Fire (#562): 615 acres, 69% contained, located on the Dalton Highway between MP 70 and MP 73
Gold Pan Fire (#565): 38 acres, 50% contained, located south of Rampart
Huron Fire (#372): 18,822 acres, 0% contained, located between Rampart and the Dalton Highway
Idaho Bar Fire (#555): 112 acres, 100% contained, located 4.5 miles southeast of Rampart
MM 125 Fire (#441): 2,986 acres, 30% contained, located between MP 121 and MP 125 on the Dalton Highway
Troublesome Fire (#359): 13,282 acres, 0% contained, located 11.5 miles east of Rampart

a moose wading through a shallow lake — While patrolling and monitoring the Fort Hamlin Hills Fire (#562), a firefighter had a quintessential Alaska wildlife experience when he saw this moose wading in a shallow lake. Photo Credit: Russell Mitchell, California Interagency IMT 14

Fire Weather: Temperatures are expected to dip as a strong low just north of Prudhoe Bay will move slowly east over the next few days. A cold front that stretches west from this low will move over the Brooks Range this afternoon, and over the Northern Interior on Thursday before weakening on Friday.

Closures: Arctic Circle Campground is closed due to firefighting activity, but will reopen soon once fire crews remove the base camp. The Arctic Circle Wayside (sign location) is open.

Public Safety: When driving on the Dalton Highway, use caution, have patience with the firefighting effort, and always drive with headlights on. The road is narrow; pulling over to stop on the shoulder is discouraged.