Rain and isolated thunderstorms passed through the area Wednesday, reducing fire activity across the Ptarmigan Complex. Scattered showers are expected again today but a drying trend is in the forecast.
Late in the afternoon on Wednesday a crew flew to the Birch Creek remote automatic weather system (RAWS) site and reinstalled sensors that were removed during the fire’s big push on June 21, when flames came within half a mile of the station. The RAWS provides firefighters with localized weather information that helps them plan operations and improve safety.
Turtle Fire (#243) –Smith River Hotshots constructed three-quarters of a mile of indirect line Wednesday near Mile 148 to help protect Alaska Native allotments near the Birch Creek Bridge. That work will continue today. The Alaska Range Module will continue to assess, prioritize, and prep structures along the Steese Highway between Mile 134 and Mile 149. Both the north and south flanks of the fire continue to show signs of smoldering heat. The fire will be flown and monitored every day as weather and smoke conditions allow.
Deadwood Fire (#214) – The Council of Athabaskan Tribal Governments Type 2 wildland firefighting crew and the Paradise Valley Type 2 hand crew continued with mop up and gridding operations yesterday. They are still finding isolated pockets of heat well interior of the fire, so they will continue this work today. The current expectation is that within 48 hours, the fire will be controlled, and in 72 hours, the fire will be fully suppressed.
Alligator Fire (#265) – Continuous heat was present on the north flank of the fire in the hilly terrain and in stringers of spruce. Practicallyno smoke or heat was observed on the southern edge in the flat areas closest to Central. Recent precipitation has moderated overall fire behavior. It is currently estimated to be 1,100 acres.
Birch Fire (#256) – No visible smoke showed on the eastern flank yesterday, but there is consistent heat and lingering smoke in the area between the western edge of the fire and Birch Creek. The fire is estimated to be 2,700 acres and remains 3.5 miles from Circle.
Little Mosquito Fire (#241) – The fire is in monitor status. No fire activity observed in the past four days.
Ketchem Fire (#240) – Fire was called out on June 24.
The public is asked to be aware that firefighters will be assessing structures and potential fuel breaks in the Central area over the next few days. Please give them plenty of room to work.
-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. 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, AK Fire Info, BLM Alaska Fire Service
Alaska Wildland Fire Information 