Personnel numbers increased on the Mount Hayes Fire (#299) as a 20-person crew from Oregon arrived Wednesday to lend a hand. Additional overhead also came in to help the Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Management manage the wildfires in the area.
Firefighters remained focused on structure protection for cabins, primary homes and infrastructure in and around the perimeter of the Pogo Mine Road Fire (#191). Aircraft dropped water on the southwest perimeter where the fire continues to spread towards Quartz Lake and the Richardson Highway.
Fire behavior was moderated in the Delta Junction area with cooler temperatures are mostly cloudy skies. Creeping and smoldering was reported on the fireline, while in some areas active flames with single tree torching was observed.
Scattered showers and a high temperature near 70 are forecasted for Thursday with areas of smoke. The general winds are predicted to be calm wind, then becoming west around 5 mph. Thunderstorms are also a possibility for Thursday afternoon and evening.
Currently, there are no evacuations in place for Fires #191 and #299. If any evacuations from wildfires were to take place, the Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection would coordinate with the Alaska State Emergency Operations Center and local fire chiefs to notify residents.
Overview of Wildfires in the Delta Junction Area
Pogo Mine Road Fire (#191) – 42,000 acres
Firefighters remain engaged in protecting structures within close proximity of the fire. North Pacific Type 2 handcrew, two dozers, and Alaska DNR personnel continue securing the fire perimeter to safeguard private residences and infrastructure. Fire personnel utilized helicopters and boats to continue securing remote structures with defensible space measures.
The southwest portion of the fire continues to actively burn south towards Quartz Lake and west towards the Richardson Highway. In order to slow the spread and keep the southern perimeter in check, helicopters and Canadair CL-415s (Superscoopers) dropped water.
The fire was moderately active Wednesday with creeping and smolder in the duff, and active surface fire with isolated torching in some areas. The location is currently less than three miles from Quartz Lake, and in some places less than one mile to the Richardson Highway. (32 personnel)
Mount Hayes Fire (#299) – 7,000 acres
Fire activity was minimal Wednesday with smoldering and creeping through surface fuels. The area experienced less smoke impact with clear visibility and partly sunny skies in the afternoon. Franco Type 2 crew from Oregon arrived Wednesday and are tasked with installing a hoselay on the dozer line and supporting established control lines. Dozers also helped create a larger defensible space buffer around the AT&T communications tower located north of the fire.
When completed, a primary and an alternate dozer line supported by hoselays will be in place from Bison Fields to the Gerstle River. These lines were constructed for a control feature to keep the fire from moving north. Managers are planning a firing operation for multiple resource objectives including preventing the fire from reaching the Alaska Highway and habitat restoration.
The fire jumped the Gerstle River to east Sunday. This fire is burning on military and state lands in the Gerstle River Arctic Test Site area.Management objectives are to keep the fire South of Gerstle Field System and Bison Trail, east of Sawmill Creek, and west of the Gerstle River. (29 personnel)
Unstaffed Fires: Delta Fire (#221) – 46,612 acres, Ponds Fire (#302) – 9,163 acres
For information regarding fires in the Delta Junction area, call: 541-977-2756.
Categories: Active Wildland Fire, AK Fire Info, Alaska DNR - Division of Forestry (DOF)
Alaska Wildland Fire Information 