Dry Creek Fire

Firefighters prepare for drier, hotter weather on Dry Creek Fire

Firefighters are wrapping up work to make sure fire control lines help keep the more than 51,000-acre Dry Creek Fire (#195) in check during the hotter, drier weather predicted to start this weekend. Fire managers don’t expect significant fire growth despite the warmer weather thanks the firefighters’ hard work and the Zitziana River to the east and an area burned in 2018 to the southwest.

Firefighters conduct successful burn out on Dry Creek Fire south of Manley Hot Springs

Firefighters successfully conducted a burn operation to protect Native allotments along the Tanana River Friday from the advancing Dry Creek Fire. Due to the fire’s progress and rapid growth to the northwest in recent days, fire managers decided to take action to protect the two properties near the confluence of the Tanana River and Hot Springs Slough. The fire is now estimated at 26,000 acres. It is still south of the Tanana River.

Firefighters consider burn operations to protect Native allotment from Dry Creek Fire

Due to the Dry Creek Fire’s progress to the northwest near the Tanana River in recent days, fire managers are considering taking additional steps to protect a Native allotment from the encroaching fire. If conditions allow, firefighters could conduct a burn operation as early as today to protect the allotment that sits near the confluence of the Tanana River and Hot Springs Slough.

Weather helps firefighters, subdues activity on fires near Manley, Tolovana hot springs

Moderated weather conditions have allowed firefighters to advance efforts on fires burning near the Tolovana Hot Springs and south of Manley Hot Springs. As eight smokejumpers continue to mop up the Washington Creek Fire (#231) about 1 1/2 miles south of the Tolovana Hot Springs, other firefighters are building fire breaks around sites within striking distance of the <Dry Creek Fire (#195) burning south of Manley. Higher humidity levels and even a little bit of rain has kept fire activity in check on the Dry Creek Fire and has helped efforts on the Washington Creek Fire. Smokejumpers plan to finish work and demobilize from the 2-acre Washington Creek Fire around midweek.