Single Publication

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.