Smokejumpers Provide Structure Protection for Historic Denali Patrol Cabins

Toklat East River Fire, Denali NP, 2013, Photo by Yasunori Matsui (Photo credit: AlaskaNPS)

DENALI PARK, Alaska: Eight smokejumpers were deployed late yesterday to provide structure protection to two historic ranger patrol cabins potentially threatened by the Wigand Creek and Toklat River East Fires, which will likely burn together today. The Lower Toklat cabin, built in 1931 and located approximately 23 miles north of the Denali Park Road, is approximately .8 mile west of the Toklat River East Fire. The East Fork cabin is about 4.5 miles east of the Toklat River East Fire. It was constructed in 1930 and is about 18 miles north of the road. The National Park Service fire crews removed shrubs, trees, and other potential fuel from the vicinity of the cabins within the past five years as part of the park's hazardous fuel treatment program. The smokejumpers are tentatively planning a burnout operation at the Lower Toklat Cabin as it is more at risk due to the fire's proximity. The jumpers at the Lower East Fork Cabin will do hose lays and prepare a sprinkler system.

Denali fire managers were able to fly over the park yesterday and map the fires that were not obscured by smoke. There has been minimal change in the size of most of the fires burning in the park.

The Beaver Log Lakes Fire is now 63,000 acres. Fire personnel will continue to mopup around the cabins and other structures where burnout operations took place on the north shore of Lake Minchumina.The Type 3 Incident Management Team (IMT) managing this fire and the 26,266- acre Moving River Fire will gradually downsize operations as fire conditions permit.

The more than 22,000–acre Sandless Lake Fire on the northern park boundary was mapped yesterday and observers saw active fire on most of its perimeter. Due to heavy smoke portions of the fire were estimated. Areas that burned in 2009 are to the north and west of the fire.

The McKinley River East Fire that is 14 miles northwest of Wonder Lake was mapped at 4,417 acres. Little fire activity was seen during yesterday's overflight. It is burning in an area adjacent the McKinley River where a large fire burned in 1986.It and other lightning-ignited fires burning in remote backcountry areas of the park are not threatening any critical park resources, and will continue to be monitored for any significant changes in activity.

Visit http://www.nps.gov/dena/parkmgmt/currentfireinfo .htm for current information about wildfires in Denali National Park and Preserve. This will be the last daily press release on Denali fires until fire activity changes significantly.

Fire danger for the park and surrounding area is moderate to high. The National Park Service is urging park visitors to be extremely cautious with anything that could start a wildfire. Campfires are discouraged, but they are permitted in the fire grates in three of the park's campgrounds.Fires are not allowed in the park's wilderness areas. Fireworks are not allowed in the park and will be confiscated. Persons using fireworks in the park may be prosecuted.

There are currently 109 active wildfires in the state. Where there is fire, there is smoke. Due to the current and expected statewide fire activity, park visitors should anticipate the possibility of varying levels of smoke in the park. Wildfire smoke information is available at http://dec.alaska.gov/air/smokemain.htm. Visithttp://fire.ak.blm.gov for statewide information and a map of the active fires.

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Chinook Winds Fan Toklat Basin Fires

DENALI PARK, Alaska: There was little change in the size of most of the fires burning in Denali National Park and Preserve over the past 24 hours, with the exception of two burning in the Toklat Basin north of the Denali Park Road. Yesterday afternoon chinook winds gusting from the Alaska Range pushed the Wigand and Toklat River East Fires north over one and seven miles respectively, which also significantly increased the size of both fires. The Wigand Fire is now an estimated 1,790 acres and the Toklat River East Fire is 8,928 acres. Fire managers were not able to obtain an accurate fire perimeter due to the smoke in the area. These fires may merge, as they are in close proximity to each other. The historical Lower Toklat and Lower East Fork ranger patrol cabins are potentially threatened by the increased fire activity. Four smoke jumpers were deployed at each cabin this afternoon after fire managers were able to fully assess the structural protection needs.

Map of fires in Denali. Click the image above to view a larger version. Updated July 2, 2013

 

Nine wildfires are burning in the park.

The 59,000-acre Beaver Log Lakes Fire is the only other fire being staffed, and it is managed by the Type 3 Incident Management Team (IMT) based at Lake Minchumina.Fire personnel have successfully burned out areas around cabins and other buildings on the north shore of Lake Minchumina and are continuing to mop up around these structures.

The Moving River Fire approximately 30 miles northwest of Kantishna is now 26,266 acres and is also being managed by the Type 3 IMT. The 550-acre Chilchukabena Lake Fire is approximately ¾ mile north of the Moving River Fire and will likely merge with it.

The McKinley River East Fire 14 miles northwest of Wonder Lake was re-mapped and is now 4,037 acres. It is in an area where a large 1986 fire burned adjacent to the McKinley River.It and the lightning-ignited fires burning in remote backcountry north of the Denali Park Road are not threatening any critical park resources, and will continue to be monitored for any significant changes in activity.

Visit http://www.nps.gov/dena/parkmgmt/currentfireinfo.htm for current information about wildfires in Denali National Park and Preserve.

Fire danger for the park and surrounding area is moderate to high. The National Park Service is urging park visitors to be extremely cautious with anything that could start a wildfire. Campfires are discouraged, but they are permitted in the fire grates in three of the park's campgrounds.Fires are not allowed in the park's wilderness areas. Fireworks are not allowed in the park and will be confiscated. Persons using fireworks in the park may be prosecuted.

There are currently 109 active wildfires in the state. Where there is fire, there is smoke. Due to the current and expected statewide fire activity, park visitors should anticipate the possibility of varying levels of smoke in the park. Wildfire smoke information is available at http://dec.alaska.gov/air/smokemain.htm. Visit http://fire.ak.blm.gov for statewide information and a map of the active fires.

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