Update 7:30 PM – Rain and firefighting aircraft put a good damper on the Flat Ceek Fire (#168). Firefighters on the ground estimate the fire to be 2-acres. The White Mountain crew have been shuttled to the fire along with several sling loads of equipment. The smokejumpers have been released from the fire and will be flown back to their base on Ladd Field at Fort Wainwright. The tankers and water scoopers have completed their drops for the evening also.
White Mountain will work to secure the fire’s edge into the evening and camp overnight in the area. They will continue their work Wednesday.
This is the last update for Tuesday evening. Check AKFireInfo.com for continuing fire coverage.
Follow this link for a short video of White Mountain leaving the staging area at Pleasant Valley.
Update 6:00 PM – Eight smokejumpers have been deployed to the Flat Creek Fire (#168). They will create a landing zone for a helicopter to shuttle the DOF White Mountain Type 2 Initial Attack Crew to the fire. Helicopters with buckets and single engine water scooping aircraft continue to make water drops, slowing the fire’s progress until more firefighters can be moved into place. Two retardant tankers, T-544 and T-542, have both made drops. Intermittent rain showers have been reported over the fire.
Follow this link for a short video of smokejumpers deploying.
Update 4:30 PM – The Flat Creek Fire (#168) is burning south of Flat Creek about 1.5 miles north of Chena Hot Springs Road. Initial size up estimates the fire to be 15 acres. A load of BLM Alaska Smokejumpers have been ordered to the fire. Single engine water scooping aircraft are dropping water on the fire along with helicopters rigged with buckets. Retardant Tanker T-542 is responding from Fairbanks International Airport.
Multiple lightning strikes have been reported in the area as large thunderstorm move through. Rain has been reported over the fire.
Update 3:30 pm –The Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection (DOF) is responding to a new fire north of Pleasant Valley off mile 24 of Chena Hot Springs Road.
DOF engines, firefighters, and helicopters are responding along with single engine water scooping aircraft.
Additional updates will be posted here as they become available.
Categories: Active Wildland Fire, AK Fire Info, Alaska DNR - Division of Forestry (DOF)
Alaska Wildland Fire Information 