Dry Creek Fire

[MusherCubby]

I don't really have enough info for an IA thread, but...amazingly, we have a large fire in interior Alaska. The following is from the AICC Morning highlights report this morning:

"Dry Creek Fire Brings Smoke to Fairbanks and Surrounding Areas
The Bureau of Land Management Alaska Fire Service detected new fire activity over the Dry Creek Fire area located 18 miles south of North Pole, 13 miles south of Eielson AFB and 25 miles south of Fairbanks. The fire was caused by lightning on June 23. No fire activity was detected during previous surveillance flights.

The recent fire activity is the result of dryer fuel conditions and higher temperatures over the past week. It is geographically located in a Limited management option area and is not a threat to structures.

Smoke may be visible from Fairbanks and North Pole as fire activity increases in the afternoon. Some areas within the Tanana river valley may experience light smoke during evening inversions as smoke settles in low lying areas. The BLM-Alaska Fire Service continues to monitor the situation."

The AICC currently lists the fire at 14,478 acres and indicates the following on their website:

"The fire was flown by N6015S and reported to be 100% active with running, crowning and backing. The has grown substantially over the last 24 hours and is being pushed to the NE by strong winds. Smoke is expected to impact the Fairbanks area through the week."

[MusherCubby]

From the AICC Morning Highlights:

"The Bureau of Land Management Alaska Fire Service provided an update to the Dry Creek Fire located 18 miles south of North Pole, 13 miles south of Eielson AFB and 25 miles south of Fairbanks. The fire is on land co-managed by BLM and the U.S. Army Alaska and has been mapped at 26,639 acres as of a 2 p.m. surveillance flight yesterday.
The fire remains south of the Tanana River and is geographically located in a Limited management option area. The BLM-Alaska Fire Service continues to monitor the situation. Surveillance flights are flown daily over the area and DOF engines and other personnel are continuing to patrol the area.
Smoke has been reported from Fairbanks, North Pole and surrounding areas as fire activity continues, and is likely to be an issue until rainy weather conditions arrive. There was local precipitation yesterday but not enough to impact the fire. Possible showers are forecasted for the end of the week."

[MusherCubby]

From the AICC Morning Highlights:

"The Bureau of Land Management Alaska Fire Service reported the Dry Creek Fire was creeping, backing and torching, and is 40 percent active. A surveillance flight was conducted yesterday at 1:30 p.m. and the size of the perimeter increased; the fire is now 42,000 acres. Smoke was very visible throughout the area and was rising to 5,000 feet.

Smoke remains as a concern for local residents. Rain has been forecasted for the area but has yet to arrive. The BLM-Alaska Fire Service continues daily surveillance flights."

[MusherCubby]

Local media cover from the Fairbanks News-Miner with lots of photos:

Dry Creek Fire makes it another smoky day in Fairbanks

by Mary Beth Smetzer/msmetzer@newsminer.com

Updated at 11:47 a.m. with air quality advisory.

FAIRBANKS — Shifting winds continue to actively bandy about a huge blanket of smoke emanating from the Dry Creek Fire, located about 25 miles south of Fairbanks on military land in the Tanana Flats.

“Basically, the wildfire is smoldering with spots of fire, short in duration,” said Mel Slater, an Alaska Fire Service spokesperson, late Thursday afternoon.

The Fairbanks North Star Borough issued an air quality advisory Friday for the Fairbanks and North Pole areas for people who are sensitive to smoke pollution, such as those with respiratory and heart conditions, the elderly and young children. The advisory notes that poor air quality is likely to persist in spots throughout the weekend in areas downwind from the fire.

Shifting winds also are responsible for increasing the fire’s spread. The conflagration that started from a lightning strike June 23 jumped from an estimated 28,251 acres Thursday morning to more than 42,000 acres by dinner time.

The fire is located on land co-managed by the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Army Alaska.

“We are not trying to put out the fire since it is in a limited management option area, which allows the fire to burn as nature dictates,” Slater said.

However, Army and agency personnel are monitoring the fire and watching closely that it doesn’t jump the Tanana River along a small portion of the perimeter, where buildings are located.

Fairbanks- and North Pole-area residents also are keeping watch as the dark aerial presence snakes across the blue sky trailing a smoky wake.

From higher vantage points around the Tanana Valley, the massive, dark cloud resembles a disaster movie scenario looming over the city environs.

By Friday, expect some relief.

Robert Fischer, lead forecaster at the National Weather Service, said Thursday’s west-to-southwest 5 to 10 mph winds will diminish a bit to 5 mph or less today and turn south to southwest, taking the smoke away from populated areas.

Fischer also predicted there is a chance of rain today and Saturday, adding that the longer range forecast looks similar to the usual wet August weather pattern for the next week or 10 days with the possibility of two periods of rain.

Fair Use Disclaimer:

[MusherCubby]

From this morning's AICC Situation Report:

"Personnel were unable to observe the fire due to a low ceiling. The fire received precipitation today
and the indices were dropping. The fire was last flown on 8/25/12 at 1400 by personnel in zone
helicopter N6015S. Under 80% cloud cover and light precipitation the perimeter was 30% active in
all fuel types. The west flank and north end were the most active with fire smoldering in shrub
tundra with isolated group torching in black spruce. The interior continues to burn out on the
northern half in tundra, jackpots of spruce and mixed hardwoods. Winds were light out of the
sourthwest with smoke drifting along the surface to the North/Northeast. No significant growth was
observed. The fire will remain in monitor status."

[Ras57]

This fire just doesn't want to give up

http://newsminer.com/view/full_story...w_left_bullets