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Crazy Mountain Complex

The Crazy Mountain Complex was organized to manage four large fires near Circle City. On August 1 the Alaska Green Team was tasked with managing the Little Black 1, Puzzle Creek, Bluff Creek, and Jagged Ridge Fires.

Key objectives were to provide structure protection for identified values at risk along the Steese Highway from Mile 147-161, prepare an evacuation plan and identify shelter locations for residents of Circle and the surrounding area, provide for safe access along the Steese Highway from MP 147-161, keep Bluff Creek Fire west of Birch Creek, keep Jagged Ridge Fire east of Birch Creek, provide point protection for structures and allotments on Little Black 1 Fire, and monitor Puzzle Gulch Fire.

Within 32 hours of the Team taking over the complex the Bluff Creek Fire had crossed both Birch Creek and the Steese Hwy at MP 155 and was heading toward Circle City on both sides of the road. Priorities were to defend Circle City with pumps and hose and get ready to evacuate people to a safe central location. Aviation support was not available due to smoke and no visibility for aircraft tankers.

Stable atmospheric conditions set in by August 3rd causing the dense smoke to be held at the ground level, severely limiting visibility, and grounding all aircraft for several days. On the night of August 5th, the University of Fairbanks' UAS (Unmanned Aerial System) was deployed over the Bluff Creek Fire and gathered thermal imagery that allowed for the accurate mapping the fires edges despite the dense smoke.

Saw-line and dozer-line, along with hose-lays where used to check the northward and southward advance of the Bluff Creek Fire. Engine crews and saw teams were tasked with keeping the Steese Highway clear of trees that where falling across the road. When the high pressure inversion finally lifted in the second week of August an arctic cold-front moved through the fire area bringing with it high winds with gusts to 25 m.p.h causing some operations to be aborted as crews were pulled of the lines due to fire weakened trees being blown across control lines and the highway. Crews are continuing to work to mitigate hazard trees along the Steese Highway corridor.

Cold temperatures and daily rains since the passage of the cold front have diminished fire behavior allowing for effective mop-up and for firefighter to take direct action along the fire edge to check the advance of the Bluff Creek Fire along the Steese Hwy. There has been very little growth on any of the other fires in the past several days. The cool, wet weather is forecast to persist.

The Crazy Mountain Complex is down sizing and has transitioned to a Type 3 Management Organization as of 0800, August 14th . The Type 3 organization will continue to monitor the fires and be prepared to defend values at risk if necessary. They will also continue to mitigate hazard trees along the Steese Hwy and will begin efforts to rehab control-lines. A new ICP has been established at the BLM work station in Central, AK.

As of this writing on August 14th, 1" of rain has fallen over the past five days and is predicted to continue through the week of August 17th - 25th leaving limited opportunity for the fires to progress.