InciWeb the Incident Information System: Railbelt Complex

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INCIDENT UPDATED 8/17/2009

Approximate Location

64.747 latitude, -149.505 longitude

Incident Overview

Map of Railbelt Complex Fire acreage increase to 636,224 acres

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FINAL UPDATE On Monday 8/17/09 management of the 636,000 acre Railbelt Complex will transfer to a smaller Type 3 Incident Management Team. The primary focus of the new team will be to finish securing firelines and mopping up hot spots asnecessary. Fire behavior is expected to be minimal for the next few weeks. Even though the fire is only 30% contained at this time, all point-protection and control objectives have been met. That percentage will change quickly with the arrival of predicted rains. Soon the focus will be to complete rehabilitation of firelines and burn areas that may be susceptible to erosion from winter rains. Questions about the status of the fire or progress on rehabilitation efforts may be directed to Peter Butteri at (907) 350-4782. The TFR currently in place over the Railbelt Complex will be lifted at midnight tomorrow night. The TFR over the Rex Creek fire will likely remain in place for about a week. Prepare for the next fire season Fortunately for the residents of Nenana and surrounding areas; this fire season ended without significant damage to people's homes and cabins. Now is the time for individuals and communities to consider the things they can do to prepare for future wildfires. Consider having a professional inspect your property and offer recommendations for reducing the wildfire risk. Consider developing a Community Wildfire Protection Plan with assistance from Fairbanks Area Forestry, federal agencies and other interested partners. Determine your community's ability to respond to wildfire. Are roads leading to your property clearly marked Are the roads wide enough to allow firefighting equipment to get through Is your house number visible from the roadside Evacuation may be the only way to protect your family in a wildfire. Know where to go and what to bring with you. You should plan several escape routes in case roads are blocked by a wildfire. Prepare for water storage; develop an external water supply such as a small pond, well or pool. All vegetation is fuel for a wildfire, though some trees and shrubs are more flammable than others. To reduce the risk, you will need to modify or eliminate brush, trees and other vegetation near your home. The greater the distance is between your home and the vegetation, the greater the protection. Any porch, balcony or overhang with exposed space underneath is fuel for an approaching fire. Overhangs ignite easily by flying embers and by the heat and fire that get trapped underneath. If vegetation is allowed to grow underneath or if the space is used for storage, the hazard is increased significantly. Clear leaves, trash and other combustible materials away from underneath sun decks and porches. Extend 1/2-inch mesh screen from all overhangs down to the ground. Enclose wooden stilts with non-combustible material such as concrete, brick, rock, stucco or metal. Use non-combustible patio furniture and covers. If you're planning a porch or sun deck, use non-combustible or fire-resistant materials. If possible, build the structure to the ground so that there is no space underneath. Keep the volume of vegetation within 30 feet of your home to a minimum. If you live on a hill, extend the zone on the downhill side. Fire spreads rapidly uphill. The steeper the slope, the more open space you will need to protect your home. Swimming pools and patios can be a safety zone and stone walls can act as heat shields and deflect flames. Install electrical lines underground, if possible. Ask the power company to clear branches from power lines. Avoid using bark and wood chip mulch. Stack firewood 100 feet away and uphill from any structure. Store combustible or flammable materials in approved safety containers and keep them away from the house. Keep the gas grill and propane tank at least 15 feet from any structure. Clear an area 15 feet around the grill. Place a 1/4 inch mesh screen over the grill. Always use the grill cautiously but refrain from using it all during high risk times. ###

Basic Information

Incident Type	Wildfire
Cause	Lightning
Date of Origin	Sunday June 21st, 2009 approx. 12:21 PM
Location	3 miles W of Nenana; 10 mi E of Clear AFB
Incident Commander	Tony Doty

Current Situation

Total Personnel	428
Size	636,224 acres
Percent Contained	30%
Fuels Involved	9 Hardwood Litter Minto Flats South and Lunch Lake: C2 Black Spruce, M2 mixed spruce/hardwoods, O1 grass, and tussock tundra.
Fire Behavior	Scattered hot spots remain, but fire activity was minimal due to rain received across the complex.
Significant Events	Rex Creek -- Division Q: Personnel surveyed potential dozer line. Division R: Crews continued to mop up along western flank. Minto Flats South -- Heavy demobe and equipment retrieval in progress along all divisions on the eastern flank.

Outlook

Planned Actions	Minto Flats South -- Two crews will demobe, San Isabel and Platte Canyon. Remaining overhead and crew will be reassigned to Rex Creek Fire. Rex Creek -- Division Q: rehab to be established from agency plan when complete. Division R: Crews will continue mopping up 300 ft in. Railbelt Complex: Transition in-briefing scheduled for Type 3 for 0800. Transfer of command will occur at 2400.
Growth Potential	Low
Terrain Difficulty	Extreme
Remarks	Acreage breakdown: Minto Flats South (534,909 total acres): State = 508,877 ac. / Toghotthele Corporation = 25,177 ac. / Native Allotments = 856 ac. Rex Creek (101,150 total acres): State = 79,253 ac. / Toghotthele Corporation = 21,897 ac. June Creek: 165 ac., all State ownership. There are numerous unincorporated subdivisions in close proximity to the fire perimeter. Two TFR's are in place over the complex. Clarification of fire causes: Minto Flats South - lightning / Rex Creek - coal seam fire escape.