A Type 3 incident management team from Wyoming is scheduled to take command of a complex of eight wildfires burning between Kiana and Ambler in the Kobuk Valley at 6 p.m. today. Some members of the team will be based in Ambler, while others will support them from Fairbanks.
The Goldrun Complex is made up of the Jade (#407), Karet (#408), Hunt (#409), Kaliguricheark (#410), Kobuk (#411), Nuna (#420), Salmon (#423), Tutuksuk (#424) fires. All of the fires were caused by lightning. Most are burning on National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management lands in a part of Alaska that hasn’t seen significant rain since late June.
The Nuna Fire (#420) is the largest fire in the complex at over 5,000 acres. Northerly winds drove explosive fire growth to the south on Thursday. Fire behavior was extreme with wind-driven runs and group tree torching. Ten smokejumpers who were previously assigned to the Karet Fire (#408) were shuttled to the Nuna Fire by helicopter late in the day to provide additional staffing.
Today, 18 smokejumpers are going up and down the Kobuk River working to protect Alaska Native allotments, structures, and other values at risk along the river corridor between the Nuna Fire and the Kaliguricheark Fire (#410). This work includes installing hose, water pumps, and sprinklers, as well as removing brush near structures or around allotment boundaries.
The Jade Fire (#407) and the Karet Fire (#408) are contained and controlled. They are in monitor status to ensure they remain within their respective perimeters.
The Hunt (#409) and Kobuk (#411) fires are burning close together in a limited management option area, which allows fire to play its natural ecological role. These fires are being monitored for potential threats to identified sites, including Native allotments about 2 miles away.
The Kaliguricheark Fire (#410) is burning in the same area as the Hunt and Kobuk fires. It is the largest of the three fires at an estimated 2,715 acres. Smokejumpers are working to protect values at risk in the area, installing hose, water pumps, and sprinklers, as well as removing brush near structures or around allotment boundaries.
Twelve smokejumpers assigned to the Salmon Fire (#423) stopped the fire’s forward progress on Thursday with support from water scoopers. The fire was 35% contained by 8 p.m. and is estimated at 103 acres. Firefighters have hose around the perimeter of the fire to spray down the edges as they continue mop up operations. Mop up involves a methodical search for remaining pockets of heat. If a hotspot is found, it is extinguished to eliminate the potential for new fire growth.
The Tutuksuk Fire (#424) is the final fire in the complex. It is burning in an area between the Tutuksuk and Salmon rivers about 7 miles north of the Kobuk River and is in monitor status.
There are additional lightning-caused fires burning in the Galena Zone that are outside the Goldrun Complex. These fires include:
Sikik Fire (#404) – The fire is 3 miles west of the Noatak River at river mile 266 in the Noatak National Preserve. The fire is burning in a limited protection area and will be monitored. The fire will be allowed to fulfill its natural role unless it threatens a site of value. It is estimated at 7,756 acres.
Shiliak Fire (#374) – Twelve smokejumpers continue to work toward full suppression. They are wrapping up their work and plan to demobilize so they can get ready for their next assignment. The fire is estimated at 22 acres. It is located about 25 miles northeast and across the water from Kotzebue.
Reed Fire (#430) – The fire is being monitored and assessed for any potential threats in the future. It is located about 4.5 miles northwest of Nutuvuki Lake in a limited protection area. The fire will be allowed to fulfill its natural role unless it threatens a site of value. It is estimated at 10 acres.
Gisasa Fire (#432) – Smokejumpers had the fire 25% contained Thursday night. They have stopped the growth of the fire and have laid hose line along the entire perimeter. They will continue suppression efforts today. The fire is north of the Gisasa River about two miles from the confluence with the Koyukuk River. It is estimated at 10 acres.
Onion Fire (#433) – The fire activity Thursday was described as smoldering and creeping with isolated torching. The fire is burning in black spruce and tundra and is about 500 acres. Six water scoopers worked the fire’s edge yesterday with water drops to protect Alaska Native allotments nearby. Efforts to get firefighters in place to staff the fire were hampered Friday by poor visibility due to smoke. The fire is about 9 miles west of Ambler and south of the Kobuk River.
Warm, dry conditions are forecast to continue through the weekend for northwestern Alaska, with highs in the upper 60s to mid-70s, clear skies, and light westerly winds. This may contribute to increased fire behavior. Smoke from larger fires in the region, including the Moldy Fire near Huslia, may also impact air quality – especially for elders, young children, and others sensitive to smoke. The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation has issued an Air Quality Advisory through Friday afternoon due to unhealthy levels of smoke in northwestern Alaska where the fires are concentrated.
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-BLM-
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Categories: Active Wildland Fire
Alaska Wildland Fire Information 