Minto Lake Daily Fire Update July 7, 2022

 
Acres: 34,386 acres | Containment: 0% | Total personnel: 297

Start Date: June 21, 2022, | Cause: Lightning| Location: Located between Washington Creek and the Chatanika River Fuels: Hardwoods and hardwood litter, timber, black spruce

Highlights: We will be holding a community meeting in Haystack (Haystack Laundry and Showers) tonight at 7pm. We will have presentations from fire operations, fire behavior and weather.

We have had Red Flag Warnings since the beginning of the week – we will again remain under one today in effect through midnight for abundant lightning and extremely dry fuels. Crews and equipment continue to be available if new fires start.

Please continue to limit unnecessary travel to areas around the fire perimeter where fire personnel are working. This includes the Murphy Dome area down to the MDR Boat Ramp and the Chatanika River. Equipment and fire fighters are working around the Hayes and Himalaya Subdivisions, please use caution in these areas. The fire area remains under a fuels and fire behavior advisory through July 8, 2022, Fuels and Fire Behavior Advisory.

 Operations:  With yesterday’s clearer sky we saw increased activity primarily concentrated on the northern flank as well as in unburned pockets near the center of the fire. The rest of the fire saw minimal growth with activity confined to creeping and smoldering. The six miles of dozer line, from the Hastings fire of 2011 continues to be re-enforced. This is a protection measure for the communities of Hayes Creek and Himilaya. Along the southern fire edge (north of the Chatanika River) crews continue installing pumps and removing large diameter fuels from the area. The structure protection group to the southeast of the fire have assessed structures and developed plans for protection. Crews continue to locate and mop up heat around the Native allotments on the southwestern flank to limit any additional growth in those areas.

Evacuations: For the Fairbanks North Star Borough Emergency Operations evacuation map, scan the QR code or go to https://tinyurl.com/MintoLakes. Follow the FNSB Government Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/FNSBGov) for updates and notifications. Receive FNSB Emergency Alerts via text message by texting: FNSBWildFire2022 to 67283.

Minto Lake Daily Fire Update July 6, 2022
 
Acres: 34,386 acres | Containment: 0% | Total personnel: 289

Start Date: June 21, 2022, | Cause: Lightning| Location: Located between Washington Creek and the Chatanika River Fuels: Hardwoods and hardwood litter, timber, black spruce

Minto Lake Daily Fire Update July 5, 2022
 
Acres: 32,828 acres | Containment: 0% | Total personnel: 227

Start Date: June 21, 2022, | Cause: Lightning| Location: Located between Washington Creek and the Chatanika River Fuels: Hardwoods and hardwood litter, timber, black spruce

Highlights: A Red Flag Warning was extended and remains in effect Tuesday for lightning and thunderstorms with minimal precipitation expected. Firefighters are available to respond should there be new fire starts.
 

Minto Lakes Fire Update July 4, 2022
 

Acres: 32,658 acres | Containment: 0% | Total personnel: 322

Start Date: June 21, 2022 | Cause: Lightning| Location: Located between Washington Creek and the Chatanika River Fuels: Hardwoods and hardwood litter, timber, black spruce

Highlights: Emergency Burn Closure in effect please visit https://tinyurl.com/BurnClosure for more information.  Alaska State Parks has closed Whitefish Lake campground and boat ramp to the public. Jerry McGowan’s Type 1 incident management team assumed command of the fire this morning at 8:00 AM.

           Acres: 32,358 acres | Containment: 0% | Total personnel: 254
Start Date: June 21, 2022 | Cause: Lightning| Location: Located between Washington Creek and the Chatanika River Fuels: Hardwoods and hardwood litter, timber, black spruce

Highlights: Emergency Burn Closure in effect please visit https://akfireinfo.com/.../emergency-burn-closure-order.../.  for more information.  Alaska State Parks has closed Whitefish Lake campground and boat ramp to the public.

A Type 1 Incident Management Team (CA-1) will assume command of the fire at 0800 July 4, 2022.

A Red Flag Warning remains in effect Sunday for lightning and thunderstorms with minimal precipitation expected. Firefighters are available to respond should new fire starts occur. 

The public is asked to limit unnecessary travel to areas around the fire perimeter where fire personnel are working. This includes the Murphy Dome area down to the MDR Boat Ramp and the Chatanika River. Equipment and fire fighters are working around the Hayes and Himalaya Subdivisions, please use caution in these areas. Vehicles on the roads and boats on the river can present additional risks to the public and to firefighters trying to protect structures and construct fire lines.

Operations: Firefighters continued structure protection and fire line construction around the native allotments located near the MDR Boat Launch. Structure protection measures on the north side of the Chatanika River up to approximately river mile 17 are completed. South of the river, fire personnel continued moving upriver assessing structures for protection needs. Dozer operators reopened fire lines previously used for the 2011 Hastings Fire and looked for opportunities to tie this indirect line into roads to the north. In subdivisions outside the immediate fire area, fire personnel assessed structures and developed plans for protection. 

Evacuations: For the Fairbanks North Star Borough Emergency Operations evacuation map, scan the QR code or go to https://tinyurl.com/MintoLakes. Follow the FNSB Government Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/FNSBGov) for updates and notifications. Receive FNSB Emergency Alerts via text message by texting: FNSBWildFire2022 to 67283.

Whitefish Lake Campground and Boat Launch has re-opened.

  Highlights: A public meeting will be held tonight at 7:00 PM at the Ken Kunkel Community Center Outdoor Pavilion. Fire managers, agency, and local government personnel will present information and answer questions. The meeting will be recorded and posted to the Alaska DNR Division of Forestry Facebook page afterward.

A Red Flag Warning remains in effect until midnight Saturday for lightning and thunderstorms, and minimal precipitation is expected. Firefighters are available for initial attack response should new fire starts occur.

The public is asked to limit unnecessary visitation to areas around the fire perimeter where fire personnel is working. This includes the Murphy Dome area down to the MDR Boat Ramp and the Chatanika River. Around the Hayes and Himalaya Subdivisions, please be careful of equipment and firefighters. Vehicles on the roads and boats on the river can present additional risks to the public, and to firefighters trying to protect structures and construct fire lines.

Operations: Around the native allotments near the MDR Boat Launch, firefighters have completed a fire line and have laid hose for spraying water should it be needed. Structure protection measures have been implemented on the north side of the Chatanika River up to approximately river mile 17, including setting up sprinkler systems around houses and cabins. On the south side of the river, this structure protection work continues, and crews will work upriver to assess further needs. Around the Hayes Creek and Himalaya subdivisions, dozer operators are opening old fire lines used for the 2011 Hastings Fire and tying them in with roads to create an indirect fire line. In addition, several Hotshot crews will be working in these subdivisions, assessing structures, and implementing structure protection measures.

 Evacuations: For the Fairbanks North Star Borough Emergency Operations evacuation map, scan the QR code or go to https://tinyurl.com/MintoLakes. Follow the FNSB Government Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/FNSBGov) for updates and notifications. Receive FNSB Emergency Alerts via text message by texting: FNSBWildFire2022 to 67283.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid 70’s to low 80’s, and low relative humidity will be around 31%. Winds are predicted to be terrain driven, south to southeast at 5-10 mph.

Closures: The Alaska Bureau of Land Management has issued a Fire Closure Order for the White Mountain National Recreation Area. The following trails are closed: Wickersham Creek Trail, Trail Creek Trail (between the junction with Wickersham Creek Trail and the junction with Moose Creek Trail), Moose Creek Trail, and Summit Trail. The following BLM public use cabins and shelters are closed: Lee’s Cabin, Eleazar’s Cabin, Moose Creek Cabin, Summit Trail Shelter, Wickersham Creek Trail Shelter. For more information, visit https://akfireinfo.com/ or call the Fairbanks District Office at 907-474-2200.

Smoke: Visit https://akfireinfo.com/smoke-management/ for information about the latest Alaska smoke conditions.

  Fire Information:

  Fire Information Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM

Phone: 907-931-8113 | Email: 2022.mintolakes@firenet.gov

There will be a Community Meeting to share current Minto Lakes fire information on Saturday, July 2, 2022, at 7:00 p.m.  It will be held at the Outdoor Pavilion at the Ken Kunkel Community Center located at 2645 Goldstream Road, Fairbanks.  The meeting will be recorded and posted to the Alaska Forestry Facebook Page afterwards.  Please come and meet the Northern Rockies Incident Management Team 3 members.  Hope to see you there!

Daily Update - Friday, July 1, 2022
 
Acres: 22,218 acres 
Containment: 0% 
Total personnel: 190

Start Date: June 21, 2022 
Cause: Lightning
Location: Located between Washington Creek and the Chatanika River
Fuels: Hardwoods and hardwood litter, timber, black spruce

Highlights: Today, the Type 2 Northern Rockies Incident Management Team 3 assumed command of the Minto Lakes Fire. A Red Flag Warning has been issued from noon Friday to midnight Saturday for lightning and thunderstorms, and minimal precipitation is expected. Please be careful of fire personnel working around the fire perimeter and stay out of these areas if possible. Unnecessary boats on the river and vehicles on the roads can put firefighters and the public at risk. It can also prevent firefighters from protecting structures and fighting the fire. Air resources, including helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, are supporting firefighters as conditions allow, but low visibility due to smoke has kept them frequently grounded. When aircraft can fly, they are doing water drops, conducting reconnaissance flights, shuttling firefighters, and moving gear.

Operations: Similar firefighting strategies and tactics continue today, and more resources are being brought in. Firefighter and public safety are the highest priority. Fire management is working to ensure crews have adequate communications systems and transportation so more firefighters can engage in fighting the fire. Along the Chatanika River from the MDR Boat Launch to the area past Shovel Creek, crews are implementing structure protection measures, including setting up sprinkler systems. They will continue working upriver. To the northeast, around the Hayes Creek and Himalaya subdivisions, dozer operators are opening old fire lines used for the 2011 Hastings Fire. Today crews will begin structure protection work in these areas. 

Evacuations: For the Fairbanks North Star Borough Emergency Operations evacuation map, scan the QR code or go to https://tinyurl.com/MintoLakes. Follow the FNSB Emergency Operations Facebook page (facebook.com/FNSBEmergencyOperations) for updates and notifications. Receive FNSB Emergency Alerts via text message by texting: FNSBWildFire2022 to 67283.

Northern Rockies Incident Management Team 3 assumed command of the incident at 6:00 a.m. on July 1, 2022.  The team is led by Incident Commander Mike Almas.