The Ptarmigan Complex is staffed by 127 people following the arrival Thursday of 12 additional smokejumpers and the 11-person Big Sky Helitack crew from Montana. A Type 3 helicopter with Big Sky is assigned to the incident and an additional Type 3 helicopter and a Type 2 helicopter are available to assist the incident as needed. Helispots have been established on the north side of the Birch Fire (#256) and the north side of Alligator Fire (#265).
Turtle Fire (#243) –On Thursday, a helicopter delivered pumps and hoses to the Alaska Range Module. The firefighters installed the water-handling equipment along an indirect fire line constructed by the Smith River Hotshots. The line runs along the boundaries of an Alaska Native allotment near Mile 148 on the Steese Highway.
Today, the Paradise Valley Type 2 hand crew and the Council of Athabaskan Tribal Governments Type 2 wildland firefighting crew will move from the Deadwood Fire to the Turtle fire to work with Smith River along an allotment boundary. 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) – Mop up and gridding operations were completed on Thursday with no heat detected. Hoses that were set up along Circle Hot Springs Road were no longer needed and were removed at the end of shift. They were returned to camp, where they will be inspected, rolled up, and made available for other operations around the complex. This fire is in patrol status.
Alligator Fire (#265) – Continuous heat is still present in the north flank of the fire, but practically no smoke was showing in the flat areas, save for a few spruce stringers. The fire continues to burn in a full protection area and 12 smokejumpers were inserted Thursday to provide point protection for values at risk. They completed 1/4 mile of indirect line along the northern flank. Pockets of heat were found in the southern area of the fire. The Alaska Range Module has been assigned to install hoses and pumps along the southern edge today. Cooler, wetter weather the past few days has moderated overall fire behavior. It is currently estimated to be 1,100 acres.
Birch Fire (#256) – The Black Hills Wildland Fire Module was inserted via helicopter Thursday and improved a helispot along the northern flank to provide access for the crews and equipment needed for point protection. Consistent heat and lingering smoke remain in the area between the western edge of the fire and Birch Creek. No visible smoke showed on the eastern flank. The fire is estimated to be 2,700 acres and remains 3.5 miles from Circle.
The Little Mosquito Fire (#241) is in monitor status. The Ketchem Fire (#240) was called out on June 24.
For a PDF version of this update click HERE.
-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 