While fire activity continues to decrease across the state, fire managers continue to monitor for holdover fires. One small holdover fire was identified late yesterday, likely ignited by lightning several days ago. Holdover fires are lightning‑caused ignitions that smolder unnoticed in duff or ground layers for days. When temperatures warm, vegetation dries, and winds increase, these smoldering hotspots can flare up into active wildfires.
Work is concluding on many of the 12 fires staffed by the U.S. Wildland Fire Service. Cloudy, cool, and breezy conditions are expected to continue across much of Alaska through the holiday weekend. Drying is expected in the interior. The highest fire danger is presently Kenai Peninsula.
Firefighters continue working along the Elliott and Taylor highways in central and eastern Interior. Please watch for and yield to firefighting traffic. Particularly for the Taylor Highway area, do not stop on the highway to look at the fire.
Staffed Fire Updates:
The Polly Fire (#228) received rain again on Monday, which kept fire activity low. The level of the Fortymile River had risen due to recent rainfall, and there was debris in the water. This prevented the Alaska Range Suppression Module from Denali National Park and Preserve from scouting known sites along the river on Monday. The river level has come down today, so firefighters will move ahead with their plan to set up structure protection around sites that are northwest of the current fire perimeter.
Members of the U.S. Forest Service uncrewed aircraft system module from Boise conducted an infrared imaging flight Monday. It showed fewer than 20 heat points on the east side of the fire. This is a significant decrease from the hundreds of heat points detected during an infrared flight several days ago, highlighting the impact wetter, cooler weather has had. The UAS module has been released for reassignment to another incident.
The Polly Fire was detected on June 20 following abundant lightning. It is about 21 miles north of Chicken and 35 miles south of Eagle. Please watch for and yield to firefighting traffic on the Taylor Highway near milepost 110, and do not stop on the highway in the fire area.
Cloud cover and cooler weather has moved into Mailbox Fire (#290) area. The Pike Hotshots are being reassigned to another incident while the Tatanka Hotshots and the Mammoth Wildland Fire Module are searching for hot spots near the perimeter. The fire is estimated at 155 acres and 100% containment. It is located approximately 14 miles west of milepost 146 on the Dalton Highway and 16 miles northeast of Bettles.
The Sozhekla Fire (#293) was in monitor status for the past several days. It is approximately 10 miles northeast of Allakaket. It is estimated at 1 acre, with low spread potential. A control line around the fire was completed last night and hot spots were cooled. Smokejumpers were sent to this fire as others were deployed to nearby Henshaw Fire (#334), which is about 7 miles to the southeast. They expect to demobilize this afternoon. This is expected to be the final update for this incident, unless conditions change.
Firefighters found heat remaining in the Canoe Fire (#328) late yesterday. Half of the smokejumpers demobilized and the others cooled hotspots and monitored the fire overnight. They are walking the fire area again today to ensure no pockets of heat remain before they demobilize this afternoon. The fire area is estimated at 75 acres. This is expected to be the final update for this incident, unless conditions change.
Six smokejumpers were sent to the Henshaw Fire (#334) late last night. It is a holdover fire smoldering in spruce and hardwoods, burning deep into the duff in places. Firefighters are cutting a line around the fire and extinguished hot spots. They will continue to monitor the fire today for additional hot spots. It is estimated at 2 acres and is located 11 northeast of Allakaket and 7 miles southeast of Sozhekla Fire #328.
Elliott Complex – Work is concluded on all fires except for the Applegate Fire (#235), which is estimated at 110 acres with 90% containment. The USWFS North Star Type 2 Fire Crew continues seeking out and cooling remaining hotspots within the fire area. Hutlitakwa (#240), Starvation (#241), and Tractor (#314) fires are declared out. The Truce Fire (#243) is controlled. Goose (#242) and Lochenyatth (#249) fires are in monitor status.
Contact Public Information Officer Joan Kluwe at Joan_Kluwe@firenet.gov or (907)356-5510 for more information.
-USWFS-
U.S. Wildland Fire Service, P.O. Box 35005 1541 Gaffney Road, Fort Wainwright, AK 99703
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Categories: Active Wildland Fire, AK Fire Info, US Wildland Fire Service
Alaska Wildland Fire Information 