Forecasted warm weather will likely increase fire behavior, smoke on the McDonald Fire

Size: 32,726 acres 
Personnel: 54 
Start Date: June 8, 2024 
Cause: Lightning

FAIRBANKS, Alaska – After days of rain, warmer, drier weather will return to the McDonald Fire area this weekend, possibly increasing fire activity and smoke. The Blair Lakes remote weather station recorded 0.75 inches of rain since June 11, allowing firefighters to prepare a cluster of cabins on 5 Mile Creek. They successfully installed sprinkler systems for all 21 cabins and cleared vegetation to strengthen defensible space around the structures. They also improved trails for better access and egress. Firefighters should have all structure protection completed by end of the day. 

This week’s rain also kept the fire in check. While the northern and eastern edges of the fire remain active, there has been no movement and no acreage gains in several days. Firefighters also identified look-out spots to help with monitoring the main part of the fire. The return to clear skies should also aid in getting a good size up of the fire by aircraft and by satellite imagery which has been hampered by cloudy conditions. This may result in a change in the number of acres due to better mapping. 

In addition to the 54 personnel assigned to the fire, DOF has 42 personnel staged near the McDonald Fire at Harding Lake. These crews, the Pioneer Peak Hotshots and Gannet Glacier, continue fuels mitigation work at the Harding Lake State Park and are prepared to quickly respond to any new starts in the Interior. 

Weather Forecast: Warmer and drier conditions are expected this weekend as high pressure builds over the Interior. Temperatures will peak in the low 80s on Sunday. Minimum relative humidity will drop below 30% on Sunday but stay in the mid-30s during the week. Limited precipitation is expected, with scattered afternoon showers and isolated thunderstorms mainly over higher terrain to the northeast and east edges of the fire. Winds will be calm and westerly throughout the week, except for potential gusts during showers and storms. 

Burn Permits: There are no DOF burn suspensions for the area. Please check https://dnr.alaska.gov/burn/fireareas or call the burn permit hotline for the Fairbanks Area Forestry at (907) 451- 2631 for the most current updates. 

Air Quality: None are issued for this area. Find information on how to protect yourself from wildfire smoke at the Smoke Management page on akfireinfo.com. 

Evacuation notices: The Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB) issued a Level 2: SET evacuation notice for the approximately 20 cabins that are near the fire’s southern edge. The FNSB also put areas along the lower Salcha River, Harding Lake, Hollies Acres, and Canaday neighborhoods in a READY status. Find more information and an interactive map of these areas on the Fairbanks North Star Borough Emergency Services website. 

-BLM-

Bureau of Land Management, Alaska Fire Service, P.O. Box 35005 1541 Gaffney Road, Fort Wainwright, Ak 99703 Need public domain imagery to complement news coverage of the BLM Alaska Fire Service in Alaska? Visit our Flickr channel! Learn more at www.blm.gov/AlaskaFireService, and on Facebook and Twitter. 

The Bureau of Land Management Alaska Fire Service (AFS) located at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, provides wildland fire suppression services for over 240 million acres of Department of the Interior and Native Corporation Lands in Alaska. In addition, AFS has other statewide responsibilities that include: interpretation of fire management policy; oversight of the BLM Alaska Aviation program; fuels management projects; and operating and maintaining advanced communication and computer systems such as the Alaska Lightning Detection System. AFS also maintains a National Incident Support Cache with a $18.1 million inventory. The Alaska Fire Service provides wildland fire suppression services for America’s “Last Frontier” on an interagency basis with the State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources, USDA Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Military in Alaska.

Last night, the Pizona Fire grew approximately 200 acres from 300 to 540 while ground resources arrived on scene for a full suppression response. Due to the remoteness of the fire’s location east of Adobe Valley in Mineral County, Nevada, logistics remain the biggest challenge for managing this fire. Air resources will be used as the primary suppression tactic, with assistance from a smokejumper crew out of a remote base in Porterville, California.

The fire is currently located within the Inyo National Forest boundary, approximately one-half mile from the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, and one mile from Bureau of Land Management land. The fire was determined to be caused by lightning. There are no structures threatened and no evacuations in place.

Acreage: 540 
Percent Containment: 0%
Current Resources: 5 hand crews, 5 engines, 4 helicopters, 2 air tankers, 1 air attack, 2 water tenders, 20 overhead.
Resources at risk: powerlines and sage grouse habitat

Steady progress continues to protect cabins near the McDonald Fire

Size: 32,725.9 acres 
Personnel: 49 
Start Date: June 8, 2024 
Cause: Lightning

FAIRBANKS, Alaska – The McDonald Fire experienced thunderstorms with lightning and an estimated .15 inch of rain Thursday night. A flight over the fire Thursday afternoon showed minimal fire activity – smoldering and creeping – with some smoke on the northern edge. No fire growth was observed. The fire remains west of the Tanana River. 

Isolated to scattered showers will continue the rest of Friday with widely scattered thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening. These thunderstorms could have strong and gusty winds, small hail, and lightning. A portable weather station was set up Thursday to provide a more accurate weather forecast for the fire area closest to where firefighters are working. 

BLM Alaska Fire Service Smokejumpers, the Midnight Sun Hotshot Crew and the Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection (DOF) White Mountain module continue working on structure protection on cabins to the south the fire along 5 Mile Creek. This includes more cutting and clearing around the cabins to create defensible space. Smokejumpers reached the last two remote cabin sites Thursday and will start working on constructing protection measures Friday. 

Firefighters are removing fire-weakened trees along the creek to prevent blowdown that would block access and egress to the area. Keeping the creek clear will allow safe travel for firefighters and for the cabin owners after firefighters leave. 

DOF has 42 personnel staged near the McDonald Fire at Harding Lake. These crews, the Pioneer Peak Hotshots and Gannet Glacier, continue fuels mitigation work at the Harding Lake State Park and are prepared to quickly respond to any new starts in the Interior. 

Weather Forecast: Thunderstorms will end before midnight, but isolated to scattered showers will continue into Saturday morning. Warmer and drier conditions are expected over the weekend with a slight chance of evening thunderstorms. A high temperature of 69 degrees with a low humidity of 40% is expected for Friday. Burn Permits: There are no DOF burn suspensions for the area. Please check https://dnr.alaska.gov/burn/fireareas or call the burn permit hotline for the Fairbanks Area Forestry at (907) 451-2631 for the most current updates. 

Air Quality: The Alaska Department of Conservation Air Quality Advisory for the Central and Eastern Alaska has expired and none are issued for this area. Find information on how to protect yourself from wildfire smoke at the Smoke Management page on akfireinfo.com. 

Evacuation notices: The Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB) issued a Level 2: SET evacuation notice for the approximately 20 cabins that are near the fire’s southern edge. The FNSB also put areas along the lower Salcha River, Harding Lake, Hollies Acres, and Canaday neighborhoods in a READY status. Find more information and an interactive map of these areas on the Fairbanks North Star Borough Emergency Services website.

-BLM-

Bureau of Land Management, Alaska Fire Service, P.O. Box 35005 1541 Gaffney Road, Fort Wainwright, Ak 99703 Need public domain imagery to complement news coverage of the BLM Alaska Fire Service in Alaska? Visit our Flickr channel! Learn more at www.blm.gov/AlaskaFireService, and on Facebook and Twitter. 

The Bureau of Land Management Alaska Fire Service (AFS) located at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, provides wildland fire suppression services for over 240 million acres of Department of the Interior and Native Corporation Lands in Alaska. In addition, AFS has other statewide responsibilities that include: interpretation of fire management policy; oversight of the BLM Alaska Aviation program; fuels management projects; and operating and maintaining advanced communication and computer systems such as the Alaska Lightning Detection System. AFS also maintains a National Incident Support Cache with a $18.1 million inventory. The Alaska Fire Service provides wildland fire suppression services for America’s “Last Frontier” on an interagency basis with the State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources, USDA Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Military in Alaska.

A wildfire was reported today at 4:17 p.m. on the Mono Lake Ranger District of Inyo National Forest, located east of Adobe Valley in the State of Nevada. Inyo National Forest’s helitack crew Helicopter 525 responded and initially sized it up at approximately 30 acres while other firefighters responded on the ground from both the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management.

Named the Pizona Fire, H525 reported it shortly thereafter to be 50-100 acres with a moderate to rapid rate of spread and burning in juniper-sage vegetation, burning in a northeasterly direction primarily driven by wind.

By approximately 5:30 p.m. the fire was estimated to be 300 acres from the air, with a potential for thousands of acres.
“With limited to no road access to the fire’s edge, we are evaluating firefighter access and the best plan of attack to fight this fire,” said Todd McDivitt, Interagency Fire Chief 2 for Inyo National Forest.

“We currently have air attack and a helicopter gathering intel while we order more resources to this incident.”
At this time, there are currently no resources at risk and no evacuations in place as it is an extremely remote location.

The Pizona Fire behavior significantly decreased last night and is expected to continue burning at a slow to moderate rate of spread today in dry pinyon-juniper and sagebrush vegetation, into the 2003 Sagehen Fire burn scar.

The northeast side of the fire continues to be the most active, where ground crews and water drops are being prioritized. Incident objectives are to keep the fire north of McBride Springs, south of Jack Spring, east of Forest Road 1N1132, and west of Forest Road 206.

Air resources will continue reinforcing current perimeter lines of retardant surrounding the fire, and assisting ground crews dealing with extremely rough and inaccessible terrain. Despite this, firefighters have increased containment lines up to 30% containment.

Today’s forecast will include temperatures in the mid-80s and a continuing dry pattern with some overnight humidity recoveries around 30%, winds gusting up to 20 mph. This weather pattern is expected into Sunday as well.

No bulldozers have been ordered for this incident due to the logistics and inaccessibility of the roadways, in addition to the potential for cultural resource impacts.

Resource advisors are present on the fireline to monitor sensitive cultural, archeological and ecological resources and to advise on Minimum Impact Suppression Techniques (MIST).

Acreage: 2,002 
Percent Containment: 30%
Current Resources: 168 total personnel (6 hand crews, 3 engines, 5 helicopters, 2 type 1 air tankers, 2 air attack, 1 lead plane, 2 water tender, 32 overhead)
Location: Adobe Hills in Mineral County, Nevada, just over 12 miles north of Benton, CA
Cause: Lightning 
Structures threatened: 0

Today, the Pizona Fire located in Mineral County, Nevada, grew approximately 200 acres. However due to limited visibility from smoke, a more exact acreage could not be determined. Air tankers and helicopters worked to drop retardant line around most of the fire’s perimeter, with the most active flank of the fire being on the east side.
No bulldozers have been ordered for this incident due to the logistics and inaccessibility of the roadways, in addition to the potential for cultural resource impacts.
The fire is still currently located within the Inyo National Forest boundary, and has not yet reached the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest or Bureau of Land Management lands.
The fire was determined to be caused by lightning. There are some abandoned structures nearby, however no evacuations are in place.

Acreage: Approximately 750 
Percent Containment: 0%
Current Resources: 120 total personnel (5 hand crews, 5 engines, 4 helicopters, 2 air tankers, 1 air attack, 2 water tenders, 20 overhead)
Resources at risk: Powerlines and sage grouse habitat

McDonald Fire Grows, but Not Threatening Cabins

Size:  127,957 acres    
Personnel:  61    
Start Date: June 8, 2024    
Cause:  Lightning

FAIRBANKS, Alaska – Flanking, backing, and some torching were observed on the McDonald Fire on Friday, resulting in about 8,000 acres of growth. Landscape features such as previously burned areas, rivers, and streams continue to hold the fire, although the fire did cross Clear Creek on the northwest perimeter into an area burned in a 2010 wildfire. 

Hotshot crews are constructing direct line around the 5 Mile Creek cabins and continue structure protection. Firefighters maintain lookout duties, and engine crews patrolled the Richardson Highway corridor. Be mindful of fire crew activity on the roadways and help ensure their safety.

The McDonald Fire will continue to produce smoke, along with the other fires in Alaska and Canada. Take precautions to limit smoke exposure. Fairbanks Memorial Hospital (1650 Cowles Street) has clean-air rooms available for people impacted by smoke open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Weather: Hot and dry conditions are expected through this weekend. A thick smoke layer may moderate temperatures and humidity. Winds on Saturday will be mostly light and variable with a stray shower possible. Isolated thunderstorms are forecast for Sunday afternoon, forming along the Alaska Range and drifting northwest, which may produce gusty winds along the fire.

Burn Permits:  The Division of Forestry and Fire Protection has issued Burn Permit Suspensions for Fairbanks, Salcha, Delta, Tok, and Railbelt areas. The fire danger in these areas remains HIGH. Please check https://dnr.alaska.gov/burn/fireareas or call the burn permit hotline for the Fairbanks Area Forestry at (907) 451-2631 for the most current updates.

Air Quality:  Air quality in the region will fluctuate between GOOD and UNHEALTHY, with downwind areas of the fires experiencing the most significant impacts. Generally, conditions worsen overnight and during the early morning hours as the atmosphere cools and brings smoke to the surface. During the day, surface heating will mix smoke and carry it upwards, temporarily improving air quality. Find information on how to protect yourself from wildfire smoke at the Smoke Management page on https://akfireinfo.com/smoke-management/.

Evacuation Notices:  A Level 2: SET evacuation notice is in effect for the approximately 20 cabins near the fire’s southeastern edge, west of the Tanana River. The communities east of the Tanana River are in READY status, including the Johnson Road neighborhoods, Canaday, Harding Lake, Salcha, the lower Salcha River, Hollies Acres, and south to Birch Lake. Find more information and an interactive map of these areas on the Fairbanks North Star Borough Emergency Services website.

Temporary Flight Restriction:  Flight restrictions have been released; however, pilots should be mindful that air operations in support of fire suppression are ongoing.

-BLM-

Bureau of Land Management, Alaska Fire Service, 
P.O. Box 35005, 1541 Gaffney Road, Fort Wainwright, AK 99703

Need public domain imagery to complement news coverage of the BLM Alaska Fire Service in Alaska? Visit our Flickr channel! Learn more at www.blm.gov/AlaskaFireService, and on Facebook and Twitter.

The Bureau of Land Management Alaska Fire Service (AFS) located at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, provides wildland fire suppression services for over 240 million acres of Department of the Interior and Native Corporation Lands in Alaska. In addition, AFS has other statewide responsibilities that include: interpretation of fire management policy; oversight of the BLM Alaska Aviation program; fuels management projects; and operating and maintaining advanced communication and computer systems such as the Alaska Lightning Detection System. AFS also maintains a National Incident Support Cache with a $18.1 million inventory. The Alaska Fire Service provides wildland fire suppression services for America’s “Last Frontier” on an interagency basis with the State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources, USDA Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Military in Alaska.

El incendio Pioneer arde en los espacios naturales de Lake Chelan-Sawtooth, en el Distrito de guardabosques de Chelan del Bosque Nacional Okanogan-Wenatchee y en un terreno privado a 31 millas al noroeste de Chelan. Las comunidades de Stehekin, Chelan y Manson se encuentran abiertas y siguen recibiendo visitants.  Se espera una actividad limitada de humo e incendios para el fin de semana y la próxima semana de vacaciones. Los directores del incendio Pioneer están utilizando una estrategia de extinción completa para proteger la propiedad privada, la infraestructura pública y los recursos naturales y recreativos, mientras que minimizan los riesgos para los trabajadores de primera línea y el público. Debido al terreno extremo, están utilizando un ataque indirecto, creando líneas de control alejadas del borde del incendio y la protección de zonas de punto, que incluye la instalación de bombas, mangueras y rociadores.

Ayer, las cuadrillas continuaron el trabajo de  proteger las estructuras fuera del perímetro del incendio cerca de la orilla del lago, y lograron una contención de 7%. La contención es solo una medida del éxito de la lucha contra el fuego, y se declara solo cuando se construyen o mejoran los cortafuegos y se ponen a prueba. Los directores de bomberos deben asegurarse de que el fuego no cruce la línea en ese lugar. Debido que gran parte del perímetro del incendio es inaccesible, se están construyendo muchos kilómetros de cortafuego indirecto, lo que puede limitar el porcentaje de contención. En el extremo superior de Meadow Creek, se identificaron y extinguieron algunos focos de calor con dos helicópteros que arrojaron 66,420 galones de agua, antes de que se convierta en una amenaza mayor. En Stehekin, las cuadrillas están implementando el plan de protección de estructuras desde Boulder Creek, alrededor de la escuela histórica y seguirán trabajando hacia el norte para reducir los impactos del fuego. Los bomberos continuarán trabajando hoy para enfriar focos de calor a medida que se vean y se tenga acceso a ellos. También continúan mejorando cortafuegos de contingencia en el lago, eliminando la vegetación y mejorando las carreteras. Las operaciones contra incendios responden a los cambios en el tiempo, el comportamiento del fuego y las continuas evaluaciones de seguridad e implementación pueden variar de lo que se había planificado.

CLIMA: Se espera un cielo nublado la mayor parte del día con una poca probabilidad de que la lluvia aumente hasta el domingo. Los vientos pueden aumentar y se pronostica que cambiarán de lago arriba por la mañana a lago abajo por la noche. Las perspectivas para la calidad del aire se pueden ver en https://bit.ly/PioneerFireSmoke. Obtenga más información sobre el humo en smokeready.org.

EVACUACIONES: Ayer se redujeron los niveles de evacuación del condado de Chelan. Una orden de Nivel 2 (Estar Preparado) ahora está vigente desde Flick Creek Campground al sur hasta Fir Creek. Lago abajo, existe una orden de Nivel 1 (Manténgase alerta) desde Lone Fir Creek hasta Safety Harbor. También hay una orden de Nivel 1 lago arriba desde el campamento Flick Creek hasta el área de campamento de Fourmile Creek. Visite https://t.ly/QoH9w

para obtener más información.

ACTUALIZACIÓN DE CIERRE: Ayer el Bosque Nacional Okanogan-Wenatchee actualizó su área de cierre para partes del lago Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness y las áreas a su alrededor. Es pueden ver más detalles, incluidos mapas, en: https://bit.ly/PioneerClosure. Muchos sitios de recreación permanecen abiertos y accesibles.

The Pioneer Fire is burning in the Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness Area on the Chelan Ranger District of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest and on private land 31 miles northwest of Chelan. The communities of Stehekin, Chelan, and Manson continue to welcome visitors, with limited smoke and fire activity expected for the weekend and coming holiday week. Pioneer Fire managers are using a full suppression firefighting strategy to protect private property, public infrastructure, and natural and recreation resources, while minimizing risks to responders and the public. Due to extreme terrain, they are using indirect attack, creating control lines away from the fire's edge, and point zone protection, which includes setting up pumps, hoses, and sprinklers.

Yesterday, crews continued working to protect structures outside the fire perimeter near the lakeshore, achieving 7% containment. Containment is only one measure of firefighting success, declared only when fire lines are constructed or improved and thoroughly tested. Fire managers must be confident fire will not cross the line in that location. Due to the inaccessibility of much of the fire perimeter, many miles of indirect fire line are being built, which can limit the containment percentage. In the upper end of Meadow Creek, a few hotspots were identified and suppressed with two helicopters dropping 66,420 gallons of water, before becoming a larger threat. In Stehekin, crews are implementing the structure protection plan from Boulder Creek, around the historic school and will continue progressing north to minimize fire impacts. Firefighters today will continue working to cool hotspots as they are identified and accessible. They also continue to develop contingency fire lines down lake, removing vegetation and improving roads. Fire operations are responsive to changes in weather, fire behavior, and ongoing safety assessments and implementation may vary from plans.

WEATHER: Expect cloud cover most of the day with a slight chance of rain increasing into Sunday. Winds may increase and are predicted to shift from up lake in the morning to down lake in the evening. The air quality outlook is at https://bit.ly/PioneerFireSmoke. Learn more about smoke at smokeready.org.

EVACUATIONS: Chelan County evacuation levels were downgraded yesterday. A Level 2 (Be Prepared) order is now in effect from Flick Creek Campground south to Fir Creek. Down lake, a Level 1 (Stay Alert) order is in place from Lone Fir Creek to Safety Harbor. A Level 1 order is also in place up lake from Flick Creek Campground to, and including, the Fourmile Creek camping area. Visit https://t.ly/QoH9w for more information.

CLOSURE UPDATE: The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest updated their closure area yesterday for portions of the Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness and surrounding areas. Further details, including maps, are available at: https://bit.ly/PioneerClosure. Many recreation sites remain open and accessible.

Location: Three miles northwest of Beulah, CO

Date Reported: June 22, 2024

Cause: Lightning

Size: 1,156 acres

Containment: 0

Total Personnel: 467

Most of the area north, west, and south of the fire is in country that is steep and rugged and increases the time it takes for firefighters to get to safety in the event of increased fire behavior or an accident. The next line of defense is constructing indirect fireline, incorporating natural features such as meadows and rocky areas as well as other existing containment features including trails and roads, that will box in the fire and provide opportunities to conduct burnout operations to reduce fuel loads with the highest probability of success. Records show there hasn’t been any fire inside and outside the current fire perimeter for over 100 years. This has allowed the area between the Junkens Fire burn scar to the north and the Mason Gulch Fire burn scar to the south to become overgrown and dense. If fuels aren’t reduced, it’s not a matter of if fire will occur, it’s a matter of when. Reducing the fuels will provide a higher rate of success of keeping wildland fire away from Beulah and other surrounding communities.

Current Situation

Firefighters worked on reinforcing existing fireline that follows along the curvature of the east fire perimeter in Division K and Division A by extinguishing hot spots along the fireline. This created a buffer between the fire and the town of Beulah. They will continue to monitor the fireline and mop up any hot spots. Firefighters are now positioned to transition from a direct or reactive approach to a proactive approach as they continue building indirect lines to box in the fire.

Fire Crews are working on indirect firelines south of Beulah in Division K tying into a two-track road on private land and building handline south to Soldier Park and Second Mace Trails. On the west side of the fire in Division U, heavy equipment began constructing fireline along a ridgeline off Silver Circle Trail. The objective is to box in the fire and utilize the lighter fuels in the Junkens Fire perimeter to contain the fire.

Structure protection crews will continue scouting to locate and assess structures east of the fire and along the Hwy 78 corridor and the Hwy 165 corridor west of the fire. 

Weather & Smoke Information: Morning temperatures will be cooler with light winds from the east and southeast. Isolated thunderstorms will develop over the fire around 3:00 p.m. bringing the potential for lightning, brief downpours, hail and wind gusts up to 60 mph.

The U.S. Interagency Wildland Fire Air Quality Response Program is now producing a daily smoke outlook report specific to south central Colorado and the Oak Ridge Fire. You can read and download the outlook by going to https://outlooks.airfire.org/outlook/d9fa3c77. 

Closures: The Middle Creek Road is closed. The San Carlos Ranger District of the Pike and San Isabel National Forests issued an area, trail and road closure effective June 26, 2024. Go to www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/psicc/alerts-notices to read and download the entire order.

Evacuations: Homes along the Middle Creek Canyon Road are under a mandatory evacuation. The following are in a pre-evacuation status: Vine Mesa, Cascade Ave., Pine Ave., and Beulah Highlands Rd. Go to www.puebloemergency.info for all evacuation information.

Temporary Flight Restrictions: There is a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) over the fire area. If you FLY, we CAN’T. Do not fly or operate your own drones in this area, as it will impede firefighting efforts and ground our aircraft.

OAK RIDGE FIRE INFORMATION

Fire Information Phoneline:  719-315-1536      Time: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Facebook: @OakRidgeFire2024     Email: 2024.oakridge@firenet.gov   

InciWeb: www.inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/copsf-oak-ridge-fire