4:00 PM Update – Firefighters working on the Stampede Fire (#198) have completed a grid search and found no areas of heat or visible smoke Wednesday. The fire has been declared contained and controlled. The Initial Attack Squad has been released from the fire and have returned to Fairbanks to be available for their next assignment. The remaining firefighters of the Helitack crew will perform additional grid searches of the burned and surrounding unburned areas during the heat of the day to ensure no hot spots remain. Once confident there is no remaining heat, the fire will be placed in monitor status.
This will be the last update unless there are significant changes.
10:00 AM – Initial Attack responders to the Stampede Fire (#198) were able to get most of the fire extinguished with the assistance of a water dropping helicopter as they worked late into the evening Tuesday. Estimated to be 1.3-acres, the fire is along Fish Creek, 10.25 miles west of Milepost 251 Parks Highway. A DFFP Initial Attack Squad of five firefighters arrived late last night and will join the five first responding Forestry firefighters on the line Wednesday morning. Personnel will continue cutting saw line around the fire and building a pump and hose system that was started Tuesday evening.
Residents along Stampede Road should not be concerned but need to be aware of an increase of firefighting traffic in the area. Suppression work will continue through the day Wednesday and possibly into Thursday.
Firefighters from Anderson and Tri-Valley Volunteer fire departments were among the initial attack responders.
Categories: Active Wildland Fire, Alaska DNR - Division of Forestry & Fire Protection (DFFP)
Alaska Wildland Fire Information 