FAIRBANKS, Alaska – The Sinnott Fire, burning in steep terrain about 4 miles northwest of Eagle, showed little smoke on Saturday, indicating low fire activity. Previously, the fire had been spreading along ridge tops toward the Boulder Creek drainage, the Yukon River, and to the north.

Cooler, wetter weather is allowing crews to expand protective measures around properties and areas near Eagle. The Remote Automatic Weather Station in Eagle recorded 0.15 inches of rain in the past 24 hours. Efforts are underway to widen the masticated fire break that runs parallel to American Creek, south of Mission Creek, and west of Eagle. The Village of Eagle’s masticator, typically used for creating proactive fuel breaks, is re-opening dozer lines installed in 2004.

Using chainsaws, the Yukon Crew and Denali Wildland Fire Module are extending the fire break on the southern end by the Taylor Highway, creating a shaded fuel break that leaves some larger white spruce and birch trees standing. Instead of following the old dozer line, crews have extended the fire break farther south to include homes within its protection area before linking up with the Taylor Highway south of Eagle. The homes will be east of the fire break’s extended section.

A crew will start constructing a fire break around a Native allotment west of American Creek on Sunday. Elsewhere, firefighters are busy fortifying the fire break to protect the community. With the addition around the allotment, the fire break will be about 3 miles long when complete.

The Sinnott Fire is one of four staffed fires in the state. In Alaska, 366 fires have burned an estimated 626,578 acres.

Weather Forecast:  A system bringing rain was predicted to reach the southern edge of the fire area Sunday morning. There is a strong possibility of wetting rain throughout the afternoon, although exact totals are uncertain. Another round of rain is anticipated on Monday evening. Southwest winds, reaching up to 12 mph, will shift to the west during the day and become light and variable overnight. Temperatures are expected to remain cool, ranging from the upper 50s to low 60s, through at least Wednesday.

Status of the Dome Fire near the Taylor Highway:  Firefighters will monitor the 3-acre fire west of milepost 117 Taylor Highway. The Dome Fire is still considered active, but fire managers are confident it will stay within its control lines. However, motorists may still see smoke coming from this wildfire burning next to the highway.

Contact BLM Alaska Fire Service Public Affairs Specialist Beth Ipsen for more information at (907)356-5510 and eipsen@blm.gov.

-BLM-

Bureau of Land Management, Alaska Fire Service, P.O. Box 35005 1541 Gaffney Road, Fort Wainwright, Ak 99703

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The Bureau of Land Management Alaska Fire Service (AFS) located at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, provides wildland fire suppression services for over 240 million acres of Department of the Interior and Native Corporation Lands in Alaska. In addition, AFS has other statewide responsibilities that include: interpretation of fire management policy; oversight of the BLM Alaska Aviation program; fuels management projects; and operating and maintaining advanced communication and computer systems such as the Alaska Lightning Detection System. AFS also maintains a National Incident Support Cache with a $23 million inventory. The Alaska Fire Service provides wildland fire suppression services for America’s “Last Frontier” on an interagency basis with the State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources, USDA Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Military in Alaska.

Categories: Active Wildland Fire, BLM Alaska Fire Service

Tags: Sinnott Fire