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WILDFIRE UPDATE - Delta Area Pogo Mine Road Fire (#191) & Mount Hayes Fire (#299) Thursday - August 17, 2023

Wetting Rain dampens Delta Area wildfires

Cloudy skies and rain continued for most of the afternoon and into the evening, which dampened fire activity. Thunderstorms with peas-sized hail rolled over the Pogo Mine Road Fire, forcing fire personnel to take shelter their vehicles and camps. Fire managers have shifted the majority of resources to Fire #191 and will take advantage of the favorable weather to complete management objectives.

Pogo Mine Road Fire (#191) – 48,745 acres | 162 personnel | 12 miles NW of Delta
A road group has been established with the mission of falling and removing fire-weakened trees along Pogo Mine Road. Smokejumpers are leading the structure protection group and will be flown by helicopter to assess and protect cabins in and around the fire perimeter. With the objective of securing the portion of the fire that spotted over the Alyeska Pipeline, Chena Hotshots are cutting a saw line directly on the fire’s edge, with Franco Forestry and North Pacific fire crews mopping up and cold trailing (using bare hands to feel for heat along the fire perimeter) behind them. Tanana Chiefs Conference Crew and Arroyo Grande Hotshots are in place for both structure protection and mop up close to structures.

Mount Hayes Fire (#299) – 7,085 acres | 25 personnel | 7 miles SE of Deltana
This wildfire has not spread for more than one week and is currently being monitored by air. Sierra Hotshots are implementing cabin protection for three public-use cabins located east of the Gerstle River and owned by Alaska Fish and Game. Resources remain in place on the dozer line designated to keep the fire from moving north to the Alaska Highway. An Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) or drone will be utilized today to identify and map hot spots.

Weather: A low pressure air mass moved over the fire area Wednesday bringing wetting rain. High pressure will build over the fire on Thursday and last into Friday. This will cause increasing west winds and drier conditions until another weather front moves over the fire Saturday bringing a chance of rain Friday night and Saturday with west winds as well.

A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place for the fires, pilots please check NOTAMs.

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