Fairbanks, AK – THE FOLLOWING REPORT IS DRAWN FROM THE ALASKA INTERAGENCY FIRE INFORMATION CENTER:
Firefighters ask Alaska residents honor current evacuation zones. Evacuations remain in effect at Boundary Fire. Everyone can help by honoring the area closure.
Fire managers know that people need to return to their homes, and meet regularly to discuss how and when residents may safely be allowed to return. However, fire trucks and crews are still patrolling evacuated areas. Emergency vehicles could need to reach a spot fire quickly. Crews are working close to roads in very poor visibility. Adding more vehicles to the mix puts firefighters at risk.
On order of the State Fire Marshal, the sale and use of fireworks is suspended. There is also a ban on open fires, including campfires. Grills that burn bottled gas are approved for use. No wood or charcoal fires are allowed.
Safety research: The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is studying smoke's effects on wildland firefighters' health. The researchers will come to Alaska to collect more data and will work with the Alpine Hotshots, who are on the Boundary Fire.
After extensive safety inspections, seven large air tankers that carry fire retardant have returned to service. A national multi-agency coordination group assigns the tankers where they are most needed nationwide. The initial assignment for one of the seven is to support firefighters on Alaska fires. A P-3 Orion is expected in Fairbanks Tuesday.
The National Guard is staffing three Army Blackhawk helicopters for Alaska firefighting. The helicopters can shuttle crews, provide eyes in the sky,' or drop water from a 720-gallon bucket. One will be on standby at Fort Richardson near Anchorage. Two are expected today at Hangar 6 at Fort Wainwright. The Division of Forestry has assigned a helicopter manager for each. A Blackhawk helped last weekend on the Chickaloon Fire.
The National Weather Service expects scattered thunderstorms in coming days over much of Alaska. The forecasted damper, cooler weather is welcome for the large wildfires threatening homes. However, thunderstorms also increase the chance that new fires will start. Wetting rains north of the Alaska Range still is not forecasted until possibly the middle of next week.
Forecasted winds would push smoke north and east. Adequate visibility is critical to air support for fires, in part because many missions involve low-altitude flight.
Firefighters around the state look forward to again to moving crews and supplies by air again where appropriate, and to better reconnaissance and mapping as the smoke lifts.
It is confirmed that a total of five structures burned in the Wolf Creek Fire and three structures burned on Boundary. For details, see yesterday's evening update.
BOUNDARY FIRE: Crews are preparing for a burnout today if weather conditions become favorable. More dozer lines will be built, and structures further prepared. Today two more Type 1 crews will join the 289 people already assigned to the fire. Steese Highway remains closed. The fire was remapped at 306,000 acres. Steve Hart's Type I team is now managing the incident.
WOLF CREEK FIRE: Allen Chrisman's Type 2 Incident Management Team assumed responsibility for firefighting at Wolf Creek yesterday. Ten additional crews totaling 168 people are expected today to join the effort. Eight of the crews are from Alaska. The two hotshot crews arrived from California last night. Yesterday at the fire, structure protection and mop up behind the fire front continued. Trees flared up, but the edge of the fire moved little. Smoke dissipation may allow for better mapping in coming days.
TAYLOR HIGHWAY COMPLEX: Little has changed with either the fires or operations.
CAMP CREEK FIRE: A mining company reported that the fire burned eight temporary structures. The 92,000-acre fire's spread has slowed with the increased humidity. The road to Pogo Mine remains closed at Gilles Creek. Mapping may improve as heavy smoke lifts. John Stegmeir's Type 2 Incident Management Team, who briefly managed the Boundary Fire, will move to Camp Creek Fire over the holiday weekend.
EAGLE COMPLEX: Deer Creek fire has burned two outbuildings. King Creek Fire jumped the Taylor Highway at 40 Mile Creek, which delayed traffic. Crews and dozers made significant progress on protection lines around Eagle. Smokejumpers finished preparations for cabins east of the Yukon River. Total acres: 441,614
SOLSTICE COMPLEX: Heavy smoke confined crews to Venetie yesterday. Fred Bird's Fire Use Team is now in Alaska to transition with Dave Jandt's team on Monday.
Alaska now hosts 7 Incident Management Teams: two Fire Use, four Type II, and one Type 1. Statistical Summaries: 62 active fires including 6 new; 13 fires staffed. Statewide year-to-date: 342 total fires on 1,841,437 acres.
The Alaska Interagency Fire Information Center in Fairbanks is currently open twenty four hours a day. For questions about fires in Alaska, call (907) 356-5511.
K-U-A-C WILL BROADCAST AND POST UPDATES AS THEY COME IN.
ADDITIONAL FIRE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT http://fire.ak.blm.gov/ Copyright 2004, KUAC email article print article