Bonanza Creek Fire (#238): 12,133 acres
Goldstream Creek Fire (#270): 18,086 acres
Personnel: 330
Evacuation levels were updated on Friday, July 5, by the Fairbanks North Star Borough and Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
🔴 Level 3 “GO!”:
- Parks Highway MP 312-333 and 338 to 340 SOUTH of the Parks Highway is in GO!
All residences within a one-mile minimum radius of the highway, including the Little Goldstream Creek area. See map for more details.
🟡 Level 2 “SET”:
- Parks Highway MP 309-312 and MP 333-338 is in SET.
🟢 Level 1 “READY”:
- Parks Highway MP 305-309, MP 338 to 345 North of the Parks Highway, and from Sled Road to the boundary of Fairbanks North Star Borough, which extends 4.5 miles, and 7 miles north of the Alaska Railroad, encompassing Standard Creek Road to include the timber harvest access areas.
Evacuation shelters remain open at Hutchison High School in Fairbanks and the Nenana Student Living Center. Services include meals, supplies, charging stations, and 24/7 volunteer support. For help, call 1-800-RED-CROSS. An emergency animal shelter is available at 3175 Peger Road (call ahead), and a clean air room is open during regular hours at Noel Wien Library for those affected by smoke.
Fire Weather: Little to no rain fell across the fire area on Tuesday. Showery activity and isolated lightning remain in the forecast, with up to 0.10″ of precipitation expected. Winds are increasing on ridge tops, with gusts up to 20 mph and sustained winds of 5–10 mph. Despite expected light rain, black spruce remains receptive and interior burning in heavy fuels will continue without significant spread. A warming and drying trend is expected to begin this weekend, potentially increasing fire activity.
Goldstream Creek Fire (#270): Firefighters continue working to contain the southwest edge of the fire using heavy equipment, with dozer line nearly complete around the Little Goldstream area. Structure protection remains a top priority. Crews focused on the southern perimeter to reduce the risk of flare-ups near the Parks Highway. Cooler temperatures on Tuesday helped moderate fire behavior but lightning in the area grounded tankers and scoopers. Drones were still able to be utilized safe and effective routes for new firebreaks. In locations without water access, firefighters are using a combination of tenders, engines, portable tanks, and hose lays to support suppression efforts.
Bonanza Creek Fire (#238): Cooler weather on Tuesday allowed crews to work direct on the fires perimeter on the eastern side. Heavy equipment worked to widen Bonanza Creek Road to create a wider firebreak. A crew traveled along the Tanana River, scouting for opportunities to build additional firebreaks, protect structures and allotments, and tie containment lines into the river. On the western flank, heavy equipment and hand crews worked to build indirect fire breaks for future firing operations. Fire behavior was temporarily subdued due to higher humidity and light precipitation but remained active in black spruce. One acre of growth was reported. Crews plan to continue engaging the fire directly along the Parks Highway Wednesday.
Road Safety: Firefighters and equipment remain active along roadways day and night. Please drive slowly and use extreme caution. Significant delays are expected on the Parks Highway due to smoke, fire activity and firefighter safety. The Alaska Department of Transportation is assisting with flaggers and pilot cars. Follow their instructions and be prepared for extended wait times. Visit 511.alaska.gov for current road conditions.
Power Outages: Power has begun to be restored in areas affected by the fires. GVEA personnel are working to repair damaged infrastructure and restore power where it is safe to do so.
More information: Follow Alaska Wildland Fire Information (https://akfireinfo.com) and updates on social media (https://www.facebook.com/AK.Forestry).
A recording of the community meeting held on July 8th in Nenana is now available. Watch it here: https://youtu.be/M3NgNG5n2pE?si=em_T9pzQwI68lAJ1
Public Information Line: (907) 331-0454
Email: 2025.nenanaridgecomplex@firenet.gov
Click Here for a PDF version of this update.
Today’s operational update can be found here
Categories: Active Wildland Fire, AK Fire Info, Alaska DNR - Division of Forestry (DOF)
Alaska Wildland Fire Information 