Single Publication

DELTA JUNCTION AREA FIRE UPDATE

Thursday August 10, 2023

Fire Info number: 541-977-2756 / AkFireInfo.com / Facebook: AK.Forestry Twitter: @AK_Forestry / YouTube: AlaskaDNRDOF

Pogo Mine Road Fire (#191) - 42,000 acres, 32 personnel

Firefighters remain engaged in protecting structures within close proximity of the fire. North Pacific Type 2 handcrew, two dozers, and Alaska DOF personnel continue securing the fire perimeter to safeguard private residences and infrastructure. Fire personnel utilized helicopters and boats to secure remote structures.

The southwest portion of the fire continues to actively burn south towards Quartz Lake and west towards the Richardson Highway. In order to slow the spread and keep the southern perimeter in check, helicopters and Canadair CL-415 (Superscoopers) dropped water.

The fire was moderately active Wednesday with creeping and smolder in the duff, and active surface fire with isolated torching in some areas. The location is currently less than three miles from Quartz Lake, and in some places less than one mile to the Richardson Highway.

Mount Hayes Fire (#299) - 7,000 acres, 29 personnel

Fire activity was minimal Wednesday with smoldering and creeping through surface fuels. The area experienced less smoke impact with clear visibility and partly sunny skies in the afternoon. Franco Type 2 crew from Oregon arrived Wednesday and are tasked with installing a hoselay on the dozer line and supporting control lines. Dozers also helped create a larger defensible space buffer around the AT&T communications tower located north of the fire.

When completed, a primary and an alternate dozer line supported by hoselays will be in place from the Bison Fields to the Gerstle River. These lines were constructed for a control feature to keep the fire from moving north. Managers are planning a firing operation for multiple resource objectives, which include preventing the fire from reaching the Alaska Highway and impacting infrastructure and private farmlands.

This fire is burning on military and state lands in the Gerstle River Arctic Test Site area. Management objectives are to keep the fire South of Gerstle Field System and Bison Trail, east of Sawmill Creek, and west of the Gerstle River.

Unstaffed Fires: Delta Fire (#221) - 46,612 acres , Ponds Fire (#302) - 9,163 acres