The Otter Fire (#344) was 90% contained Sunday night with no growth in acreage reported following two days of solid work in rugged terrain by 20 smokejumpers, a helitack crew, and the air crews of multiple firefighting aircraft.
The left and right flanks of the fire were soaked with water to a depth of 100 feet in from the perimeter on Sunday. Firefighters also conducted a small-scale tactical firing operation inside the perimeter to reduce potential threats to the control line.
Helicopters and scooper planes dropped water on hot spots throughout the day and helped cool off areas burned during the firing operation.
Firefighters also contained a spot fire, mopped it up completely, and put it in monitor status.
Today, firefighters plan to further improve the line along the left flank of the fire. They anticipate having the fire fully contained tonight.
The Otter Fire was reported on Friday morning. It was caused by lightning, and is located on the north side of a canyon above Otter Creek about 50 miles northeast of Venetie. The fire is not threatening any structures or Alaska Native allotments, but is in a full suppression area.
-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 