Denali Mod Builds Sawline Around Susitna Fire Outside Willow – Alaska Wildfire Information

Deleting Module Denali, a 10-member crew sponsored by the Chugachmiut Tribal Consortium, spent the night on the Fire of Susitna (#235) after their initial attack on Sunday evening. The 0.77-acre fire was started by lightning along the Susitna River, 4 miles west of the Willow Airport. The crew spent Monday cutting a saw line around the fire, and by mid-afternoon the fire was 40 percent contained. Their plan is to completely surround the fire with a saw line by the end of the shift Monday. On Tuesday, they will work to complete containment and search for and extinguish hot spots inside the fire.

More than 1,000 lightning strikes were recorded Sunday in Mat-Su and thunderstorms over the Talkeetna Mountains on Monday are producing lightning. The possibility of fires caused by lightning is very likely. A strike can smolder and spread through layers of dry dust until the sun and wind rekindle the fire. The Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection will monitor the area for any new fires.

Categories: Active wildfires, Alaska DNR – Division of Forestry (DOF)

Tags: Chugachmiut Tribal Consortium, Denali Suppression Module, Susitna Fire, Susitna River, willow