Rain moderated fire behavior this past week across the Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection (DFFP) response area, limiting the number of new fire starts. However, more than 57,000 lightning strikes were recorded over the past 10 days, creating continued potential for holdover fires and new starts as fuels dry. Several areas remain especially susceptible due to limited or no rainfall, including the Kenai Peninsula, Copper River Basin, and southwest Alaska, where fire managers are closely monitoring for lightning-caused activity.
A pilot reported a fire in the area of George Lake, southwest of Delta Junction on Monday afternoon, June 22. Delta Area Forestry Helitack responded to the Moosehead Fire (#268) and found a 30-by-30-feet fire creeping and smoldering in spruce and hardwoods on a ridge between George Lake and Moosehead Lake. Cabins on the south side of Lake George are approximately three quarters of a mile to a mile away. The fire’s behavior was showing moderate spread potential and with no place nearby to land and deploy its firefighters, the helicopter was able to do bucket work. After the completion of the bucket work was. completed, Helitack continued its mission of locating other reported fires. On Tuesday, wildland a module of firefighters from Tanana Chiefs Fire Crew (TCC) traveled by boat up the Tanana River and across George Lake to gain access to the fire. TCC module was able to secure the perimeter and call the fire contained and controlled late Tuesday. On Wednesday, the fire was placed into a monitor status, and the fire was flown by UAS on Friday.
A smoke column was sighted northwest of the Granite Fire (#222), east of Delta Junction on Monday, June 22. Delta Forestry Area’s Helitack responded to the Rapeseed Fire (#275) and reported the fire had a 100% active perimeter, creeping, running, and torching in black spruce. Air Attack and four water scooping aircraft were requested. A squad of White Mountain T2IA Crew members responded from the Granite Fire. Two air tankers were requested to deliver water instead of retardant due to the fire being located in the headwaters of Clearwater Creek. Suppression efforts lasted into the evening with Air Attack reporting the fire’s perimeter had been knocked down by the aerial water assault. Following precipitation over the fire area on Tuesday, the fire was called contained on Wednesday. Firefighters remained on scene and continued with mop up through the weekend.
Western Emergency Services requested Forestry to respond to a structure fire on Birdie Avenue in Anchor Point on Monday, June 22. Forestry responded to the Birdie Fire (#276) for escapement into the grass from the structure fire. Wildland firefighters extinguished the grass fire and declared it out.
A caller reported a tree on a powerline in North Pole on Monday, June 22. Forestry responded to the Bend Fire (#277) and found a 0.1-acre fire smoldering in black spruce logs on the side of the road. Golden Valley Electric Company arrived on scene and removed the tree from the line. Wildland firefighters suppressed the fire and gridded the area and found no areas of heat. The fire was declared contained, controlled and placed into monitor status.
A pilot reported a fire about 23.5-miles southeast of Chena Hot Springs on a ridge above Gold Creek on Monday, June 22. Fairbanks Forestry Area Helitack responded to the Eldorado Fire (#278) but was turned back by an approaching storm. The fire plots within 2-miles of 2025 Ricks Creek burned area. It is in a Limited Management Option area and will be monitored. The Limited response option is the lowest priority for fire-related resource assignments. Designed for broad, landscape-scale areas where the low density and wide distribution of values to be protected best allows for fire to function in its natural ecological role.
Thermal sensing satellites detected heat signatures 15-miles north of McGrath on Monday, June 22. The Snowshoe Fire (#281) has been placed into monitor status.
Mat-Su Communications Public Safety Dispatch (MatCom) was notified of a fire spreading to the wildlands behind Wasilla Middle School in Wasilla on Tuesday, June 23. Forestry responded to the Swanson Fire (#279) and discovered a 10-by-15-feet area smoldering in brush and mixed hardwoods from an escaped garbage/trash burn pile. The fire was suppressed and declared contained, controlled and placed into monitor status.
Fairbanks Forestry Area Helitack responded to a plotted point by a thermal detecting satellite Tuesday, June 23. The Black Bear Fire (#280) south of Black Bear Lake, approximately 22-miles west, northwest of Nenana, was observed to be 90% active with 3-6-feet flame lengths. A cabin was noted 3-miles to the north of the fire. A helicopter reconnaissance flight was completed on Saturday. No smokes were observed and aerial mapping placed the fire at approximately 28 acres. The fire is located in a Limited Management Option area and will continue to be monitored.
Alaska State Troopers notified DFFP that the Village Public Safety Officer (VPSO) reported a fire that started between Toksook Bay and Tununak on Nelson Island about 116-miles southwest of Bethel on Wednesday morning, June 24. Before Forestry could respond to the lightning caused Tununak Fire (#286) it was extinguished by local residents. The fire was said to be 1-mile long with 7-foot flame lengths burning in tundra.
Resources from Soldotna Forestry Area responded to a report from a local resident about smoke coming from the woods behind a house off of the Kenai Spur Highway on Friday, June 26. Resources identified a small burn area, Gibson Fire (#312), with no active perimeter. Firefighters confirmed no additional heat and placed it in monitor status.
A smoke report was confirmed as the Shageluk Fire (#319) late Saturday afternoon, June 27. The fire is 15 miles Southeast of Shageluk and was estimated to be approximately ¼ acre in size with small flames. The fire was plotted in a Modified Management Option area and will be monitored. The Fire Management Option Modified allows for a response to wildfire that tailors the initial action to the time of the year that the fire starts. It provides for an initial response designed to protect identified sites early in the season when the probability is high that they will eventually be affected; but later in the year allow fire-related land-use and resourse objectives to be accomplished in a cost-effective manner while still providing appropriate levels of site protection. On Sunday a reconnaissance flight reported no smoke showing and no visible heat. The fire will remain in monitor status.
Alaska State Troopers received an SOS message from a Garmin device notifying them of a vehicle on fire in the area of Milepost 210 Richardson Highway on Sunday, June 28. Forestry responded to the Rainy Creek Fire (#329) and found a vehicle fully engulfed in flames and partially in the river. First on scene, Forestry initiated patient care until an ambulance arrived. Delta Junction Fire Department extinguished the vehicle and wildland firefighters successfully contained and controlled the fire at a tenth of an acre. The fire will continue to be monitored.
MatCom was notified of a fire on an island in Flat Lake in the Houston area Sunday, June 28. Forestry responded to the Flat Lake Fire (#330) and were shuttled by boat to the island by the reporting party. On the island they discovered three escaped debris piles resulting in a 0.1-acre fire that had already been extinguished. Firefighters mopped up the burned area and declared the fire out.
Categories: Active Wildland Fire, Alaska DNR - Division of Forestry & Fire Protection (DFFP)
Alaska Wildland Fire Information 