Unmanned aerial system provides Dalton Highway Complex firefighters with infrared images and data – Alaska Wildland Fire Information
Firefighters on the Idaho Bar Fire (#555), east of Rampart, plan to complete the lengthy cleanup process on Sunday. They did a thorough search for hot spots, starting along the perimeter of the fire and working into the burnt area about 200 feet away, and found only two. The teams also coordinate the return of excess equipment and supplies from the line of fire and the village of Rampart to the supply cache in Fairbanks.
Photo Credit: UAS Manager Brian Okarski, Columbine Wildland Fire Module, San Juan National Forest
In the northern part of the complex, the Columbine Wildland Fire Module flew an unmanned aerial system (UAS, aka drone) over the Prospect fire (#494)where they detected no hotspots, and the MM 125 Fire (#441), where they detected two. The crew will fly a UAS mission over the Fire Douglas (#336) on Sunday. The UAS collects infrared images and data that help firefighters determine the amount of surface heat remaining in the burned area.
Six firefighters abseiled into Gold Pan Fire (#565) to further assess the hotspots detected during Friday’s aerial reconnaissance. They will also establish a helipot and check the fire perimeter. Air assets continue to benefit from weather conditions suitable for flight and conduct reconnaissance missions and assist in removing tools, supplies and communications equipment no longer needed for the suppression effort.
The Fish Fire (##319), Little Salt Fire (#521), Mile Post Light (#317), Montana Ravine Fire (#556), Prospect Fire (#494), and Tozitna’s Fire (#543) were all fully controlled.
Photo Credit: UAS Manager Brian Okarski, Columbine Wildland Fire Module, San Juan National Forest
Dalton Highway Complex (89,100 acres): Total area includes all fires within the Dalton Highway Complex. The largest or most active fires in the complex are:
- Fire Douglas (#336): 23,124 acres, located on both sides of the Dalton Highway between MP 141 and MP 149
- Fort Hamlin Hills fire (#562): 615 acres, located on the Dalton Highway between MP 70 and MP 73
- Gold Pan Fire (#565): 38 acres, located south of Rempart
- Huron Fire (#372): 18,822 acres, located between Rampart and the Dalton Highway
- Idaho Bar Fire (#555): 112 acres, located 4.5 miles southeast of Rempart
- Fire MM 125 (#441): 2,986 acres, located between MP 121 and MP 125 on the Dalton Highway
- Troublesome Fire (#359): 13,282 acres, located 11.5 miles east of Rampart
Fire time: A brief warming trend continues through Monday as ridges remain in the Yukon Territory and along the Canada-Alaska border. Relative humidity will decrease to the upper 30s and temperatures will remain steady in the 70s. The chance of rain increases Monday night and Tuesday as the front moves east, and much cooler temperatures are forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday as moist air from the West Coast Low moves inland.
Closures: Arctic Circle Campground is closed due to firefighting activities. Arctic Circle Wayside (sign location) is open.
Public Safety: When driving on the Dalton Highway, exercise caution, be patient with firefighting efforts, and always drive with headlights on. The road is narrow; it is not recommended to stop to stop on the shoulder.
Contact information: [email protected], 907-921-2547 (8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily)
For a complete list of fires in the Dalton Highway Complex, visit inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8240. For more information on all fires in Alaska, visit akfireinfo.com.
Printable PDFs:
DAILY UPDATE
INCIDENT MAP
Categories: AK Fire Info
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