(Fairbanks. Ak.) New lightning caused wildfires north of Fairbanks prompted a Level 2 “Set” evacuation notice last night (Mon) for the Chatanika River corridor and Hayes Creek areas. Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection information officer Sam Harrel says firefighters initially responded to a single blaze off of Old Murphy Dome Road, north of the Chatanika, near river mile 68.
“As they were getting ready to go to work on that fire, they saw another fire to the north of there and that fire was on the north side of Washington Creek. Both of these fires are about 2 and half miles away from Himalaya Loop, which is at the end of Himalaya Road as you come off the Elliot Highway.”
Harrel says units responding to the Old Murphy Dome Road and Aggie Creek Fires discovered a 3rd blaze to the west. He says the Washington Creek Fire was added to the response which included smoke jumpers, water scooping planes and helicopters with buckets.
“Additionally, there were 2 more fires discovered during the response to those 3, and those fires are up near the Fairbanks North Star Borough boundary on a ridge, just east of the Tolovana River.”
Harrel says there are no values at risk in the vicinity of the Slate and Iver fires, and there was no immediate response to them last night (Mon). ###