Residents near the Himalaya Road (#223), Aggie Creek (#268) and Washington Creek (#232) fires can return to their properties today. The Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB) has reduced evacuation levels.
After close coordination with the Incident Management Team, FNSB has downgraded evacuation orders by one level: Level 3 “GO” evacuation is now Level 2 “SET”, and some Level 2 “SET” areas are now Level 1 “READY”. Residents must stay alert, remain prepared to evacuate at a moment’s notice, and understand that levels may increase again if fire behavior intensifies.
Cooler temperatures and higher humidity have reduced the immediate threat but the fires are not out. Dry fuels remain, fire activity continues, and weather can change quickly. Stay out of the active fire area.
Firefighting resources remain in place, suppression efforts continue and conditions are being reassessed regularly to ensure public safety. While the Himalaya Road Fire remains active and uncontained with some torching, firefighting crews were able to secure perimeters around homes near Haystack Mountain. Yesterday, three helicopters assigned to the Bear Creek Fire supported aerial reconnaissance efforts. Additionally, three uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) will survey fire perimeters for heat to help firefighters focus their efforts. Today, firefighters will continue scouting for access points in the steep, forested terrain of the Aggie Creek Fire and the Washington Creek Fire, where a dozer line has been completed around the perimeter.
Today’s weather calls for mostly cloudy skies with minimal wind and precipitation, which should result in some smoldering, little smoke production and no perimeter growth. A potential drying pattern beyond Friday could cause a return to surface spread with torching.
For smoke and air quality go to airnow.gov. No road closures are reported. Check 511.alaska.gov for road conditions. Drive with caution. Expect delays and poor visibility due to smoke and fire crews working along roadways.
A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place. Do not fly drones over the fire area; if you fly, we can’t. Unauthorized drone use poses serious risks to firefighter and public safety.
For more information, please call 907-921-7881 (9 am to 9 pm) or email 2025.himalayaroad@firenet.gov.
Categories: Active Wildland Fire, AK Fire Info, Alaska DNR - Division of Forestry (DOF)
Alaska Wildland Fire Information 