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The lightning-caused McDonald Fire started on Saturday, June 8. The fire is burning in the BLM Alaska Fire Service Military Fire Management Zone, an area designated for limited management, meaning that unless the fire threatens property or people, it will be allowed to play its natural ecological role. This strategy considers firefighter safety, values at risk, and impacts on the surrounding area.
The fire is burning in a mixture of black spruce and hardwood trees and has reached the Tanana River, but areas of unburned fuels remain along the river's edge. Evacuation preparations have been issued by the borough to the east of the fire in the areas south of Salcha along the Richardson Highway. Updated evacuation information can be found at: https://ak-fairbanksnorthstarborough.civicplus.com/180/Emergency-Operations.
Firefighters are monitoring burnout operations on the east side of the 5 Mile Creek cabins, and crews continue creating a contingency fireline on the west side of the cabins. To protect military infrastructure, firefighters removed hazardous fuels and installed sprinklers, pumps, and hose.
McDonald Fire managers extended fire response to include the Clear Fire (#204), to the northwest of the McDonald Fire. The Clear Fire and McDonald Fire merged on Wednesday, June 26, 2024.
| Current as of | Tue, 07/02/2024 - 15:07 |
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| Incident Time Zone | America/Anchorage |
| Incident Type | Wildfire |
| Cause | Lightning |
| Date of Origin | |
| Location | 9 miles southwest of Salcha, Alaska |
| Incident Commander | IC Kudo IC-T Schumacher |
| Incident Description | Lightning caused wildfire in Military land with limited suppression. |
| Coordinates |
64° 21' 53'' Latitude
-147° 6' 26
'' Longitude
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| Total Personnel: | 76 |
|---|---|
| Size | 160,818 Acres |
| Percent of Perimeter Contained | 0% |
| Estimated Containment Date | 10/01/2024 |
| Fuels Involved | Timber (Litter and Understory) Hardwood Litter Short Grass (1 foot)
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| Significant Events | Active Torching Backing Flanking |
| Planned Actions |
Crews will continue to secure line on the south side of the fire by bone piling, gridding, and mopping up found heat. Firefighters plan to test structure protection in place around military assets, as well as evaluate needs for additional point protection to the north of the current fire perimeter. Initial attack resources will continue to patrol the highway and adjacent neighborhoods. |
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| Projected Incident Activity |
Tomorrow will likely be more active than today due to predicted wind and higher temperatures. Fire growth is expected to continue unless significant wetting rains occur. |
| Weather Concerns | Temperatures moderated significantly for most of the day today, with a high temp in the low 70s. RHs were higher as well, with a low in the 50s. The fire received about .10" precipitation today. |
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