Home › Active Wildland Fire › Drone module aids in mop up operations and crews get reassigned as fire activity declines

Drone module aids in mop up operations and crews get reassigned as fire activity declines

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There was very minimal fire activity yesterday across the Ptarmigan Complex due to the cloud cover and lower temperatures. Fire continues to creep, back, and smolder in places on the Birch, Turtle, and Buckley Bar Fires.

Dense dark green trees intermixed with brown trees and fallen trees with evidence of burned trees in the upper portion of the image.
An area of jackstraw trees on the north edge of the Turtle Fire. Photo credit: Ben Ferguson, Alaska Fire Service

Turtle Fire (#243) – Fire behavior on the Turtle Fire was minimal, with creeping and smoldering observed. Tatanka Hotshots and the Alaska Range Module worked to mop up and extinguish any heat found along the northern edge of the Turtle Fire. Areas of jackstraw fuels holding heat remain a primary concern. Yesterday was the last shift for the Tatanka Hotshots and they will be reassigned to another fire today. Crow Peak Wildland Fire Module and Alaska Range Module will continue mop up on the north end of the fire. They are working towards obtaining 100 feet of cold black along the edge.

Black and brown burned trees on the left side of the image. A gray river arcs through the middle left of the image. The rest of the photo is a mixture of green, brown, and black trees, some of which have burned.
View from the uncrewed aerial system (UAS) looking for heat signature on the north edge of the Turtle Fire. Photo credit: Liz Younger U.S. Forest Service

The uncrewed aerial system (UAS) module flew the indirect line along the allotments south of the Steese Highway to assess potential rehab needs and the northern edge to find heat. They found no heat outside of the fire perimeter. Any heat signatures found by the UAS allowed firefighters to pinpoint heat and mop-up the hotspots. This was the UAS modules last working shift.

A person in a white and black mosquito net shirt and face covering sits on the green and brown vegetation-covered ground. He looks down at the black hand held equipment he is using to operate a uncrewed aerial system (UAS). He is surrounded by green vegetation.
A drone operator operates a uncrewed aerial system (UAS) on the Turtle Fire. Photo credit: Liz Younger U.S. Forest Service
An image of a computer screen. In the top left corner temperatures are listed in yellow lettering. In the center of the image a purple box highlights small white dots. On the right side a scale ranging from -58F to 302F.

The Turtle Fire was reported on June 19. It is burning about 10 miles east of Central, AK and 12 miles south of Circle, AK and was started by lightning. Photo credit: U.S. Forest Service

Alligator Fire (#265) – Firefighters backhauled the remaining hose from the Alligator Fire. It is unstaffed and will be monitored by air. The fire was discovered on June 20, started by lightning and is located about 3 miles north of Central, AK. 

A pile of white hoses lay in a black net on bare brown ground. In the background equipment sits on several pallets. The sky is a cloudy blue.
Sling loads of backhaul hose from the Alligator Fire. Photo credit: Ira Hardy

Buckley Bar Fire (#264) – The fire remains in monitor status. The fire lies approximately 17 miles to the southwest of Central. It was discovered on June 20 and was caused by lightning. 

Deadwood Fire (#214) – The fire remains in monitor status. The Deadwood Fire was started by lightning, discovered on June 20, and is in Central, AK. 

Birch Fire (#256) – The fire is unstaffed and remains in monitor status. The fire was discovered on June 20, caused by lightning, and is located about 4 miles northwest of Circle, AK.

A Level 1 “Ready” Alert remains in effect for the community of Central, the Steese Highway from Milepost 123 to Milepost 151, Circle Hot Springs Road and Circle Hot Springs, and Deadwood Creek Road. Drivers should expect traffic delays on the Steese Highway, Circle Hot Springs Road, and Deadwood Creek Road due to firefighting operations. A Level 1 “Ready” alert means: begin preparing for a potential evacuation; make plans for family members with special needs, pets, or livestock; gather essential items such as prescriptions, important documents, and valuables; and stay alert and watch for updates from local authorities.    

NOTAM #: 07/118 is in place for the Central Airport (CEM): Increased air traffic 5,000 ft MSL and below within a 20 nautical mile radius of the Central Airport (CEM) due to firefighting aviation operations. 

A PDF of the daily update can be downloaded here.

 –BLM–

Bureau of Land Management, Alaska Fire Service

P.O. Box 35005 1541 Gaffney Road, Fort Wainwright, AK 99703

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Learn more at http://www.blm.gov/AlaskaFireService, and on Facebook.

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.

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Categories: Active Wildland Fire, AK Fire Info, BLM Alaska Fire Service

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