This is the latest update concerning the Willow Creek Fire as of August 16, 2010. Use the URLs shown below.
www.inciweb.org/incident/2000/
http://fire.ak.blm.gov/content/news/highlights/current.pdf
http://www.dec.state.ak.us/air/smokemain.htm
http://co.fairbanks.ak.us/airquality
Willow Creek Fire Update
Hot, dry and windy weather over the weekend increased fire activity on the
Willow Creek Fire and a change in wind direction pushed smoke into
Fairbanks Sunday evening. Most of the smoke is coming from interior pockets
of discontinuous fuel such as white and black spruce, grass and brush.
The fire remains south and east of the Tanana River, south of Salchaket
Slough and west of Clear Creek. No cabins, homes or other structures are at
risk.
The weather forecast calls for partly sunny today with a high temperature
of about 82 degrees F. Winds will be out of the southwest at up to 10 mph
this morning and out of the southeast this afternoon. Tonight, it will be
mostly cloudy with temperatures around 55 degrees F. Winds will be out of
the south at up to 15 mph. On Tuesday, it will be mostly cloudy with
scattered rain showers in the afternoon. The maximum temperature is
expected to be about 69 degrees and winds will be out of the south in the
morning changing to westerly in the afternoon.
With increasing clouds, decreasing temperatures, relative humidity between
40-80% and light winds, the fire is expected to smolder and creep with
occasional flare-ups when pockets of fuel ignite. Smoke is expected to be
less intense as the weather cools.
The size of the fire is now approximately 13,420 acres. Fire personnel are
managing the fire to meet agency objectives of reducing the overall smoke
impact duration on Fairbanks, North Pole and surrounding communities and to
keep the fire south of the Salchaket Slough and the Tanana River. Fire
personnel are flying over the fire daily to survey the perimeter, document
significant fire behavior and assess opportunities for smoke mitigation.
WEATHER FORECAST: (http://fire.ak.blm.gov/predsvcs/weather.php)
TEMPERATURES: 55F to 82F.
MIN HUMIDITY: 39 - 83%.
WINDS: Winds from the southeast or southwest 10 to 15 mph switching to west
winds on Tuesday.
The Alaska Interagency Coordination Center produces a daily statewide
summary of wildfire activity called Situation Report which is available at:
http://fire.ak.blm.gov/content/aicc/sitreport/current.pdf
