Due to increased fire activity brought on by the chinook winds, Interior Alaska is experiencing near hazardous conditions. Air quality advisories are in effect for central and eastern Alaska. Chinook winds are bringing Red Flag conditions again today to the Alaska Range, the Delta Junction area, and the Parks Highway south of Nenana. Those winds will spread Red Flag conditions north to Nenana and Fairbanks areas this afternoon. This includes the communities of Tanana, Anderson, Healy, Fairbanks, Delta Junction and Salcha. Five Type 2 hand crews are arriving into Fairbanks today. Following an inbriefing, the crews will be assigned to priority fires in the Interior. There are currently 152 active fires: 53 in critical or full protection and 95 in limited management zones. 80,169 acres have burned statewide.
Due to increased fire activity brought on by the chinook winds, Interior Alaska is experiencing near hazardous conditions. Air quality advisories are in effect for central and eastern Alaska. Chinook winds are bringing Red Flag conditions again today to the Alaska Range, the Delta Junction area, and the Parks Highway south of Nenana. Those winds will spread Red Flag conditions north to Nenana and Fairbanks areas this afternoon. This includes the communities of Tanana, Anderson, Healy, Fairbanks, Delta Junction and Salcha. Five Type 2 hand crews are arriving into Fairbanks today. Following an inbriefing, the crews will be assigned to priority fires in the Interior. There are currently 152 active fires: 53 in critical or full protection and 95 in limited management zones. 80,169 acres have burned statewide.
McCoy Creek (#201) – [9,000 acres] River mile 29, Salcha River. DOF personnel and other crews including a Fairbanks-based contract crew continued structure protection along the Salcha River and worked to prevent the northern edge from spreading. Aviation resources continue to support crews and evacuation levels remain in place from the Fairbanks North Star Borough. (102 personnel)
Pogo Mine Road (#191) – [20,000 acres] 9 miles down Pogo Road. The fire merged with 6 Mile Pogo (#196) and is now established north of the Pogo Road. Resources including the Tanana Chief Crew focused on structure preparation along the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. Low visibility limited the use of aerial resources. (25 personnel)
Sand Lake (#261) – [47 acres] 6 miles northwest of Dot Lake. Staffed with a Type 2 crew and module of firefighters from Southwest Alaska. The crew reinforced the anchor point and continued to establish saw line and hose lays on west flank to prevent further growth to the north and west. Resources patrolled and monitored the south and east to hold established lines. (38 personnel)
