Friday, the White Mountain Type 2 Initial Attack crew was flown in via helicopter just north of the 873-acre Uncle Sam Creek Fire (#376). Their objective is to extinguish the area of heat that was identified during a reconnaissance flight.
To get a better map of the fire’s perimeter, an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) module conducted a flight mission. Additionally, helicopter crews spent the day shuttling personnel and slinging equipment to the crew on the ground.
There is a new Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) over the 8,773-acre Monte Cristo Creek Fire (#319), in addition to the TFR already in place for the Uncle Sam Creek Fire. These TFRs are crucial for ensuring the safety of all aircraft and personnel working on the fires. Continuous helicopter activity south of Birch Lake and along the Salcha River corridor can be expected as crew shuttles and equipment are flown out to these fires.
Currently, there are 28 people assigned to the fires, including the White Mountain and two helitack crew members.
As of Friday, at 10:00 AM, the Fairbanks North Star Borough lifted all evacuations along the Salcha corridor.
Whether it’s a drone or a personal aircraft, any intrusion into a TFR forces all incident aircraft to land and wait until the airspace is confirmed clear. Intrusions are a serious safety threat to pilots and crews.
Remember, if you fly, we can’t.
Categories: AK Fire Info
Alaska Wildland Fire Information 