AK Fires

The Wildfire Log: Fairbanks AK’s Shovel Creek Fire | 2

/ NW Fire Blog (TM)

UPDATE 2 – June 27, 2019 – Thursday

Credit: AK Forestry

Incident Summary | A wildfire named the SHOVEL CREEK FIRE was ignited by lightning on June 21, 2019, is burning about 3 miles north of Murphy Dome and 20 miles northeast of Fairbanks, Alaska in the Fairbanks Area Zone in the AK Department of Forestry lands.

FIRE FACT | There are currently 11 new wildfire starts in the last 24 hours

Resources | There are currently 245 personnel assigned, along with 8 crews, 10 engines and 7 helicopters.

The IC of this incident is also managing the NUGGET CREEK FIRE located about 16 miles northeast of North Pole, Alaska.

Credit: AK Fire Info

FIRE FACT | There are currently 13 staffed wildfires, while 99 are being monitored.

Current Status | Fire crews are tasked with continued direct attack suppression operations and working to contain a spot fire that crossed over Shovel Creek and uphill into an old fire scar from the 2009 HARDLUCK CREEK FIRE.  They are currently using air support for fire suppression and containment efforts.  Fire behavior is being reported to be active with a high rate of spread along with torching and continued spotting throughout the evening.

FIRE FACT | There have been 2 RX fires for a total 13,615 acres.

Alerts | Those who live in the Murphy Dome subdivision were put on  high alert for a Level 1: Get Ready notification which means fire nearby and to be ready at a moment’s notice. This notice was given to residents in this area by Fire Officials.

FIRE FACT |  Crews have successfully put out 5 wildfires.

Incident Cooperators | Incident Cooperators include the Fairbanks North Star Burough, Department of Emergency Services, AK DOF, BLM AK Fire Service and the Chena Goldstream Fire Department.

FIRE FACT | There are currently 130 wildfires burning in Alaska.

Damage Assessments | The fire has now destroyed 1,622 acres of timber destroyed up from the 650 acres, from only a few days ago.  There is still no containment gained on this fierce fire.  Cost-to-date fire suppression and containment status expenses have reached $1.2 Million dollars.

(c) 2019 NW Fire Blog – Updated @ 2130  hours PDT

 

The Wildfire Log: Fairbanks AK’s Shovel Creek Fire

/ NW Fire Blog (TM)

UPDATE 1 – June 24, 2019 – Monday

Incident Summary | A wildfire named the SHOVEL CREEK FIRE was ignited by lightning on June 21, 2019, is burning about 3 miles north of Murphy Dome and 20 miles northeast of Fairbanks, Alaska in the Fairbanks Area Zone in the AK Department of Forestry lands.

Credit: BLM AK Fire Service

Resources | Command is currently under the direction of an IMT Type 2 (AK Green Team) which took over at 0700 hours this morning.   There are 146 total fire personnel along with 5 crews and one helicopter.  More are on order and en route to assist.

FIRE FACT | There were 24 new wildfires that ignited on Sunday, June 23rd

Current Status | The IC has requested additional resources that include water scooping aircraft, air retardant tankers and smoke jumpers for initial attack on the fire.

High Valued Assets | Fire managers are working closely with Incident Cooperators to address vital high assets in the area that include primary homes and private properties in Martin, Lincoln and McCloud subdivisions along the Chatanika River corridor.  Additionally, they are looking to protect Department of Defense (DOD) infrastructure on Murphy Dome and native allotments west of the fire.

Credit: BLM AK Fire Service

Incident Cooperators | Incident Cooperators include the Fairbanks North Star Burough, Department of Emergency Services, AK DOF, BLM AK Fire Service and the Chena Goldstream Fire Department.

FIRE FACT | Of the 24 new wildfires, 2 of them are Large Incidents (Big Fires)

Air Quality | Smoke is expected to blow into Fairbanks in the next few weeks.

Damage Assessments | 650 acres of timber destroyed. 0% containment status.  The total cost-to-date for fire suppression and containment is $747,000.00.

The SWAN LAKE FIRE in Fire Images on Social Media:

Fire ignited from lightning on June 21st. It burns 3 miles north of Murphy Dome. 200 acres with active fire behavior. Credit: AK Forestry

Fire on June 22nd burns near Murphy dome, northwest of Fairbanks. 400 acres. | Credit: BLM AK Fire Service

Fire burns on June 23rd with a dramatic wind shift to the north. Credit: BLM AK Fire Service

(c) 2019 NW Fire Blog – Updated @ 2045 hours PDT

 

ACTIVE ALASKA WILDFIRES for Sunday, July 26, 2015

/ NW Fire Blog (TM)

FIRE SUMMARY

7 NEW Fires for 108 acres. 24 Staffed Fires. 292 Active Fires. Total Acres Burned: 4,791,160!

AGGIE CREEK FIRE: Start: 6/22/15. Time: Midnight. Location: 30 miles NW of Fairbanks. Cause: Lightning. Personnel: 164. Acres: 31,705. Containment: 55%.

ANIAK COMPLEX: [4 Fires – White Fish Lake 1, North Aniak Fire, Ophir Creek and Mission Creek] Start: Unknown. Cause: Lightning. Personnel: 178. Total Acres: 155,072. Containment: 82%.

BAKER FIRE: Start: 6/21/15. Time: 1506 Hours. Location: 14 miles East of Manley Hot Spring. Cause: Lightning. Personnel: 179. Acres: 26,103. Containment: Unknown.

BLAIR FIRE: Start: 6/20/15. Time: 12PM. Location: 39 miles SE of Fairbanks. Cause: Lightning. Personnel: 11. Acres: 41,154. Containment: Unknown.

DENALI FIRES: [13 Fires] Cause: Lightning. Location: Denali National Park and Reserve. Total Acres: 142,657. Containment Status: Unknown.

HEALY LAKE FIRE: Start: 6/16/15. Time: 1945 Hours. Location: 28 miles SE of Delta Junction. Cause: Lightning. Personnel: 39. Acres: 11,473. Containment: 15%.

IDITAROD FIRE: Start: 6/20/15. Time: Unknown. Location: 2.5 miles North of Ghost Town Iditarod. Cause: Lightning. Acres: 98,183. Damage: 3 structures in the early days of the Fire. Containment: In Monitor Status.

LONG LAKE FIRE: Start: 6/20/15. Location: Directly South of Northway. Cause: Lightning. Acres: 29,100. Containment: 60%.

Long Lake – Courtesy via Inciweb

MICHIGAN CREEK FIRE: Start: 6/17/15. Time: 1330 Hours. Cause: Lightning. Location: 38 miles NE of Delta Junction. Acres: 10,499. Containment: near 100%. This is the last update.

MIDDLE YUKON FIRES / RUBY AREA FIRES: [Big Creek, Bruno Creek, Ruby Slough Fires]. Start: Unknown. Location: S and E of Village of Ruby. Cause: Lightning. Personnel: 92. Acres: 407,613. Containment: Unknown.

Supplies for firefighters are either flown in from Fairbanks, or boated upriver from Galena.

Supplies being Unloaded by Air, 1 of 2 ways of Receiving Deliveries.

Courtesy via Inciweb

TANANA AREA FIRES: [Spicer Creek, Rock Fire, Deep Creek Fire]. Start: 6/19/15. Time: 1315 Hours. Cause: Lightning. Location: Multiple fires located close proximity up to 60+ miles from town of Tanana. Acres: 489,673. Containment: 4%.

TETLIN HILLS FIRE: Start: 6/20/15. Time: 1800 Hours. Location: 8 miles SE of Tok. Cause: Lightning. Acres: 1,878. Command: Transitioned to IMT4. Personnel: 71. Containment: 95%.

Dozer in fire - Tetlin Hills on July 1, 2015

Dozer within Tetlin Hills Fire – Courtesy via Inciweb

[c] 2015 The NW Fire Blog

UNCONTAINED LARGE WILDFIRES in NW, WEST COAST and YUKON – July 18, 2015

/ NW Fire Blog (TM)

Here are the newest Updates for today’s fires.

FIRE SUMMARY:

NW Fire Stats

  • Large Fires:  0 Stats:  No change
  • Uncontained Fires:  WA [3], OR [1]   Stats:  No change
  • New Fires:  WA [5 for 38 acres], OR [14 for 1 acre]   Stats: New fires went down

National Fire Stats

  • New Fires  [Initial Attack Activities-Light]: 100  Stats:  A decrease of 21 new fires 
  • Large Fires Contained: 4   Stats: Fire crews are making some progress
  • Uncontained Fires:  5   Stats: Good news with one contained

IMT Stats [Committed]

  • WA IMT 1:  1
  • National IMT 1:  2
  • WA IMT 2:  1
  • National IMT:  5

ALASKA FIRES

Burnout operations on Spicer Creek Fire complex

TANANA FIRE

Multiple fires located from close proximity up to 60+ miles from the town of Tanana [AK]

  • Personnel:  331
  • Incident Cooperators:  #Doyon, #TananaChiefsConference, #TananaVillageCouncil, #TananaVFD
  • Acres:  484,948
  • Containment:  1%
  • Fire status:  Moderate fire behavior included torching, creeping and smoldering. Crews continued direct attack north of Tanana with saw lines and hose lays.

MIDDLE YUKON FIRES / RUBY AREA FIRES

Fires are south and east of the village of Ruby [AK]

  • Personnel:  91
  • Total Acres:  395,115 acres
  • Containment:  No containment % available

Multiple Fires burning in this Complex

Active

  • Bruno Fire – 15,232 acres
  • Big Creek Two Fire – 322,451 acres
  • Trail Creek Fire – 32,687 acres

In Monitor Status

  • Gentian Fire – 14, 065 acres
  • Ruby Slough Fire – 49 acres
  • Eldorado Fire – 6 acres
  • Little Moose Fire – 761 acres
  • Melozitnz – 3357 acres

IDITAROD FIRE

2.5 miles north of the ghost town of Iditarod [AK]

  • Acres:  98,183
  • Damage Assessment:  3 minor structures destroyed.
  • Fire Status:  In monitor status.

NORTH ANIAK FIRE

317 miles west of Anchorage, 2 miles north of the town of Aniak [AK]

  • Acres:  55,704
  • Fire Status: In mop-up, removing structure protection equipment

AGGIE CREEK FIRE

30 miles northwest of Fairbanks, AK along the Elliot Highway [AK]

An engine patrols along the fireline as burnout operations occur on the Aggie Creek Fire 07.07.15

  • Personnel:  371
  • Acres:  31,885
  • Containment:  53%
  • Fire Behavior:  Low today with creeping, smoldering, and isolated tree torching

HAY SLOUGH FIRES

14 miles NNW of the village of Manley Hot Springs [AK]

Smoke plume on Hay Slough Fire, July 10, 2015

  • Personnel:  21
  • Acres:  89,747
  • Fire Behavior:  Wetter conditions has led to mainly smoldering with some creeping

BLAIR FIRE

39 miles southeast of Fairbanks [AK]

Column as seen from Creek Creek 5-mile community. Photo by Jeff Frimel, Unaweep crew

  • Personnel:  11 
  • Acres:  43,766
  • Containment:  Unknown

BAKER FIRE

14 miles of Manley Hot Springs [AK]

Burnout opeations along Elliot Highway

  • Personnel:  220
  • Acres:  27,103
  • Containment:  Unknown %
  • Fire Behavior:  Smoldering today with isolated pockets of creeping
  • Complex Summary:  Part of Manley Area Fires

MICHIGAN CREEK FIRE

38 miles Northeast of Delta Junction [AK]

A helicopter view of the Michigan Creek Fire looking southwest

  • Personnel:  Unknown #
  • Acres: 10,499 acres
  • Containment:  Unknown  %

HEALY LAKE FIRE

28 miles Southeast of Delta Junction [AK]

Backhaul brought in by boat pilot.

  • Personnel:  39
  • Acres:  11,473
  • Containment: 15%
  • Incident Cooperators:  #RuralDeltanaVFD, #AKState

LONG LAKE FIRE

Directly south of Northway [AK]

photo of IC Clinton Northway over Long Lake Fire

  • Personnel:  147
  • Acres:  23,430
  • Containment:  20%

TETLINS HILLS FIRE

8 Miles Se Of Tok [AK]

Dozer in fire - Tetlin Hills on July 1, 2015

  • Personnel:  125
  • Acres:  1,878
  • Containment:  75%

REX COMPLEX FIRE

Kobe fire is west of Clear, Fish Creek is NE of Clear [AK]

Red water tanks consisting of plasticized canvas behind yellow-clad firefighters with mud and smoke and a solitary firefighter in the background

  • Personnel:  241
  • Fires in Complex:  #KobeFire #FishCreekFire
  • Total Acres:  16,159
  • Containment:  63%

SOCKEYE FIRE

6 miles north of Willow [AK]

Mop-up 300 ft around structures and in from the perimeter

  • Personnel:  9
  • Acres:  7,220
  • Containment:  99%

CARD STREET FIRE

Kenai Peninsula – 5 miles southeast of Sterling [AK]

Firefighter digs out a hot spot as others look on

  • Personnel:   Unknown #
  • Acres:  8,876
  • Containment:  92%

WHITEFISH LAKE 1 FIRE

8 miles south of Kalskag [AK]

The Whitefish Lake 1 Fire backs in to the wind as it burns with the interior of the fire Wednesday, June 17, 2015. Alaska Division of Forestry photo

  • Personnel:  64
  • Acres:  64,371
  • Containment:  88%

LLOYD FIRE 

40 miles SE of Manley Hot Springs, about 38 miles SW of the village of Tanana [AK]

  • Personnel:  Unknown
  • Acres:  77,808
  • Containment: Unknown

ROCK FIRE

9 miles SE of Hughes on the Koyukuk River [AK]

  • Personnel:  Unknown
  • Acres:  60,019
  • Containment:  Unknown  

DEEP CREEK FIRE

2 1/2 miles south of Lake Minchumina [AK]

  • Personnel:  Unknown
  • Acres:  11,222
  • Containment:  Unknown

AK Fire Stats:

  • New Fires:  7 for 57 acres
  • Active Fires: 308 burning across the State
  • Staffed Fires:  21 with 950,677 acres burned
  • Monitored Fires:  281 with 3,309,778 acres burned
  • Acres Burned YTD:  4,778,638  

# # #

NEWBY LAKE FIRE

12 miles NW of Loomis [WA]

Photo showing smoke column from Newby Lake Fire on July 2, 2015

  • Personnel:  504
  • Acres:  5065
  • Containment:  20%

PARADISE FIRE

Approximately 13 miles North/Northeast of Quinault [WA]

Fire burning midslope on Pelton Peak

  • Personnel:  116l
  • Acres:  1612
  • Containment:  21%

OUTLAW DRAW FIRE

  • Personnel:  Unknown #
  • Acres:  2000
  • Containment:  60%

# # #

CORNER CREEK FIRE

11 miles south of Dayville; near Black Canyon Wilderness [OR]

Corner Creek Fire

  • Personnel:  124
  • Acres:  29,407
  • Containment: 98%
  • Incident Cooperators:  BLM, USDA Forest Service, #CrookCountySheriff, #GrantCountySheriff, #ORDeptOfForestry

# # #

NORTH FIRE

Cajon Pass, Baldy Mesa / I-15 N of Hwy 138 [CA]

This photograph shows a fixed wing air tanker making a retardant drop on the North Fire

  • Started:  7/16/15 1433 hours
  • Acres:  3500
  • Containment Status: 5%
  • Mandatory evacuations:  E of Sheep Creek Rd, N of Hwy 138, W of I15 / Hwy 395, S of Phelan Rd.
  • Evac Shelter:  Serrano HS, 9292 Sheep Creek Rd, Phelan CA
  • Animal Shelter: Victor Valley Fairgrounds, 14800 7th St, Victorville CA
  • Damage Assessment [SB I-5]:  20 vehicles, 2 Semis destroyed; 10 vehicles damaged.  [Baldy Mesa] 3 homes, 8 outbuildings, 44 vehicles destroyed.
  • Command:  Unified with San Bernardino County Fire + CALFire + San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office  IMT 2 team ordered.
  • Resources:  22 engines, 2 crews, 4 water tenders, 1 dozer, 1 air attack plane, 1 lead plane, 3 helicopters and 6 fixed wing planes including a DC10 and MD87.
  • Significant Event:   Aircraft was grounded for 25 minutes due to a drone flying in the same airspace as Fire Suppression aircraft.  After the airspace was clear, Fire Suppression aircraft resumed operations.**
  • ALERT:  Fire Managers would like to alert the Public to the usage [flights] of drones which fly at the same level as Fire Suppression aircraft.  When this happens, all Fire Suppression aircraft must be grounded due to possible collisions and other mishaps putting crews and civilian lives in serious danger which may also include death. DON’T DO IT!
  • Personnel:  1000
  • Incident Cooperators:  #CALFire, #CALTrans, #SanBernardinoCoFD, #SanBernardinoCoEOM, #SanBernardinoCoSheriffOffice
  • Cause:  Under investigation

LAKE FIRE

Barton Flats, South Fork, Fish Creek, Coon Creek, Ten Thousand Foot Ridge, Onyx Peak, Upper Pipes Canyon [CA]

This photo shows a crewman from the Black Eagle Handcrew carrying a pine branch while chipping brush along State Highway 38

  • Personnel: 70
  • Acres:  31,359
  • Containment:  98%
  • Incident Cooperators:  #AmericanRedCross, #BLM, #USDA Forest Service, #AnaheimFD, #BaronaFD, #BigBearFD, #BishopCityFD, #BreaFD,  #BurbankFD, #CALFire, #CAConservationCorps, #CaDOC, #CALTrans, #CHP, #CAEOM, #CarsonCityFD, #ChinoValleyFD, #ColtonFD, #KernCoFD, #LagunaBeachFD, #LA_coFD, #LomaLindaFD, #MorongoValleyFD, #OntarioFD, #OrangeCityFD, #RanchoCucamongaFD, #RanchoSantaFeFD, #RedlandsFD, #RiversideFD, #RossValleyFD, #SanBernardinoCityFD, #SanBernardinoCountyFD, #SanBernandinoCountyEOM, #SanBernardinoCountySheriffsOffice, #SanDiegoFD, #SanManuelFD, #SanMarcosFD, #VenturaCoFire, #ViejasFD

#FireImages Courtesy of Inciweb

“We again appreciate you following along with us!  Hope you have a #Safe day/night wherever your journeys may take you.”

[c] 2015 The NW Fire Blog

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