There were no new fires reported in Southwest Alaska on Friday allowing firefighting resources to focus on the fires being suppressed in the region. The forecast for the weekend will not be much different from the past couple of days. Cooler and wet along the coast with inland areas being drier and warmer as high pressure builds over the mainland. Afternoon showers will be possible in locations closer to the western Alaska Range, but stable air should help prevent thunderstorm formation over Soutwest Alaska this weekend.
Southwest area DOF firefighters are mobilizing to the American Creek Fire (#143) that started from a lightning strike on June 16 and is burning in a limited response area 25 miles northeast of King Salmon, between Nonvianuk Lake to the north and Lake Coville to the south. The fire is estimated to be 8,185 acres. The six firefighters are responding to King Salmon to provide point protection to cabins along American Creek, west of the fire. They will also be assessing lodges in the area and developing point protection for them. Point protection is a strategy used in limited response areas where there are values at risk in a broad and expansive wilderness areas. Firefighters will defend places as a fire approaches, without directly halting the continued spread of the wildfire.
Below is an update of action taken Friday on fires managed by the Type 3 organization in Southwest Alaska now known as the Red Devil Group. Personnel assigned and acreages have been updated to reflect the most recent numbers.
Cribby Creek Fire (#201) – 3 miles north of Red Devil is burning in a modified response area. Improved mapping has reduced the acreage; it is now estimated to be 91 acres with 10% containment. 46 personnel are currently assigned. The Red Devil Group Incident Commander reported that there was no smoke or fire activity identified on the edge of the fire perimeter. The Del Rosa Hotshot crew continues their fireline construction direct on the fire’s edge. They have worked up the west flank clearing and setting up pumps and hose lays. They are continuing this work across the northern side. The Laguna Hotshots are assessing Native allotments along the Kuskokwim River across from Red Devil, developing a defensive plan should fire threaten that area.
South Fork George River Fire (#172) – 8.5 miles northeast of Georgetown in a modified response area and is estimated to be 7,218 acres. 20 personnel assigned. Chena Hotshots will complete their set up and test their hose lays on the south and southeast sides of the fire. They will then move to the east and north flanks to build and plumb firelines. The Chena superintendent will scout allotments and three nearby cabins for potential prep work.
Portage Fire (#169) – 5.5 miles southwest of Georgetown, south of the Kuskokwim River, in a full response area and is estimated to be 859 acres. 33 personnel assigned. Afternoon showers were reported over the fire area. The U.S. Forest Service R-10 T2 IA crew continues to develop protection measures for allotments to the east of the fire. The southeastern portion of the eastern finger of the fire remains to be the most active area, spreading away from the river.
There are 29 additional fires burning in limited management areas that will continue to be monitored by the Southwest Area DOF office. The Division of Forestry & Fire Protection will continue to share information about the fires in Southwest Alaska as it becomes available from reconnaissance flights and ground resources.
For more information on fire response management options in Alaska, visit https://forestry.alaska.gov/fire/fireplans.
For more information on active fires in Alaska, read the daily Alaska Interagency Coordination Center Situation Report found online here, https://fire.ak.blm.gov/content/aicc/sitreport/AICC%20Situation%20Report.pdf
Categories: Active Wildland Fire, Alaska DNR - Division of Forestry (DOF)
Alaska Wildland Fire Information 