Department of Community Services

2004 - Yukon Wildfire Bulletins

Current Fire Danger Ratings
Burning Restrictions
2004 Bulletin Archive

Wildfire Bulletin #53

July 19, 2004 - 1:30 PM

Fire Activity Picks Up Over Weekend

This weekend recorded higher than usual temperatures and heavy amounts of lightning. There have been twelve new fires have been reported since Friday.

Eight of these fires occurred in the past 24 hours, and four of them were fought by Wildland Fire Management's (WFM's) fire crews.

Two of the fires were near the Klondike Highway in the Mayo district between Stewart Crossing and Mayo. The first fire reported was fought and declared under control early Sunday morning. It is 0.1 hectares in size. The other Mayo fire was two kilometers off the highway and grew to 1.2 hectares but crews boxed it in with retardant. Ground crews and a helicopter have brought the fire under control. The fire is not affecting the highway.

Fire crews are also actively fighting Carmacks fires #19 and 20. Carmacks #19, two to three miles from the east end of Little Salmon Lake, was battled by all four tanker groups including the two from Dawson. The fire was showing very aggressive behavior and is burning near the Drury Creek grader station. It is 600 meters off the highway. Tankers dropped multiple rounds of retardant on the fire. There are currently ground crews, helicopters, and dozers working the fire today. It is approximately 8 hectares in size.

Carmacks fire #20, five miles northeast of Braeburn, was detected by a bird dog aircraft inbound to Whitehorse from Carmacks fire #19. Tankers were dispatched from Whitehorse as well as an initial attack crew from Carmacks and one from Whitehorse, as well as one helicopter from Carmacks and one from Whitehorse. The fire is 0.3 hectares in size, and was blanketed with retardant. Fire crews reported that things were going well this morning.

A new fire was reported this morning in the Haines Junction district. The fire was actioned by an initial attack crew and a water truck. It is on kilometre 1596 of the highway, east of Canyon. It is reported to be under control.

Fire officials plan to continue patrols of areas where there has been lightning activity. With improved visibility in parts of the Yukon, fixed-wing patrols will be ongoing to reassess fires for growth and fire activity.

New Fires-Past 24 Hours
Klondike Highway 11% Hill MA#24 0.1 hectares Fire was actioned by fire crews early Sunday morning. Fire is under control.
2 Kilometres North of Hess River MA#25 100 hectares Fire is in a wilderness zone and will continue to be monitored.
Klondike Highway MA#26 1.2 hectares Fire is in a full management zone. It was actioned by fire crews and has since been declared under control.
Northwest of Sidney Creek TE#05 1 hectares Fire is in a wilderness zone and will continue to be monitored. There are no values at risk.
East End of Little Salmon CA#19 8 hectares Fire is in a strategic management zone. Fire was actioned by tankers, ground crews and helicopters. Crews, helicopters and dozers will continue today.
5 Miles East of Braeburn CA#20 0.3 hectares Fire was in a transitional zone and was actioned by fire crews.
Little Scurvy Creek WL#34 50 hectares Fire is in a wilderness zone and will continue to be monitored.
Kilometre 1596 Alaska Highway HJ#07 0.01 hectares Actioned by fire crews.
Yukon Fires Being Actioned
Goldfields Complex DA #9,10, 21,30, 37 Over 127,000 hectares French Gulch (21): Small flare-up on north end of fire. Crews are cleaning up from a burnout on the north end of the fire. Dempster (30): Crews completed cat lines on the entire southern flank. Hose line was placed on the western portion of the fire. Dominion (10): Crews doing hose lay on the northern flank off the Klondike Highway. Haystack (09): Crews will focus on the northern part of the fire near Indian Lake. There is site protection on the northeast side of the fire.
40 Mile/Clinton Creek DA#14 9,500 hectares Not a threat to structures at this time. Monitored on a daily basis, yesterday fire was also patrolled for hotspots. A structure protection plan is in place if fire becomes more active.
Thistle Creek Area DA#04, 15, 25 17,500 hectares Site protection is established for structures in the area. Fire is smoldering and quiet. Fire officials continue to monitor.
Rob Roy Creek DA#37 13.8 hectares The Old Crow Initial Attack crew actioned this fire. Crew was able to contain the fire to a 13.8 hectare area. Fire crews scanned fire this morning and declared it officially out.
10 Mile Creek and 20 Mile Creek DA#38 and #34 1,500 hectares and 2,500 hectares Fires have met and consumed approximately 4,000 hectares total. Sprinklers and site protection equipment are on standby if needed. Crews were working on hot spots.
60 Mile River DA#26 4,335 hectares Crews are hoping visibility is clear enough to check three sites in the 60 Mile area today.
Little Jimmy WL#07 13,000 hectares There was growth towards Hasselberg and Little Jimmy Lake. Sprinklers have been installed for site protection.
Tom Lake near Sa Dena Hess mine site WL#26 7,500 hectares Control lines are holding and bucketing is effective on hot spots. Northern flank is active and creeping. There is some torching on the northeast corner. Conditions in the valley are very smoky.
Frances Lake WL#32 1,500 hectares Fire experienced moderate to fast rate of spread mid afternoon. Size has increased to 1,500 hectares and fire has pushed itself to Finlayson River on the southwestern flank.
Fortin Lake RR#19 1,000 hectares Site protection being monitored today.
Wellesley Lake BC#01 26,587 hectares Crews were up late monitoring the fire. They are setting up sprinkler kits this morning.

Advisories

Travelers are also advised to drive along the Klondike Highway between 4 a.m. and noon, as those are slow burning periods. Pilot cars are in place, if required. For more information on highways, call highways and public works at 1-877-456-7623 or 867-667-3710.

Any residents in the Yukon concerned about smoke are encouraged to call their local nursing station or hospital. Smoke is now lifting in many areas of the Yukon.

Although the current fire ban has been modified for southern Yukon and the far north, Wildland Fire Management would like to remind people that burning fires only applies in commercial and government campgrounds. The forest floor is drier than it appears. Also, smoke from fires outside of commercial and government campgrounds is often reported, and consequently fire crews must go out and investigate.

There have been 204 fires in the Yukon burning over 1,257, 000 hectares of forest. There are currently 171 active fires.

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Current Fire Danger Ratings
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2004 Bulletin Archive