Rex Creek Evacuation Notice Lifted
Incident: Railbelt Complex Wildfire
Released: 8/6/2009
Rex Creek Evacuation Notice Lifted
Intense fire activity on the Rex Creek Fire prompted fire managers to issue an evacuation notice Tuesday for residents of the Windy Creek Subdivision, 13 miles southeast of Anderson.
Rainfall received Wednesday and continuing wet weather predicted into the weekend prompted the Type 2 Incident Management Team on the Railbelt Complex to lift the evacuation notice Thursday.
The Rex Creek Fire grew from 2,400 acres on Monday to 23,000 acres on Tuesday, to 62,000 acres on Wednesday. The fire continues to burn in the Rex Creek and Rex Dome areas and north into the Totatlanika River Valley. Fire personnel are continuing operations in the Windy Creek, Windy Hills and Seven-Mile Lake areas. Firefighters will continue assessing and preparing area structures for possible burnout operations in the event the fire pushes west toward the Windy Creek Drainage. Emergency vehicles will continue to use the Rex Trail Road and access roads into the Rex Creek Area.
Residents are advised to maintain evacuation preparedness and be ready for reinstatement of the evacuation notice. Residents should also remain in contact with local fire and emergency service officials.
Although rainfall assists the firefighting effort, large wildfires such as those within the Railbelt Complex typically burn through periods of wet weather and into the fall.
The Railbelt Complex Public Information Office is located at the Nenana Student Living Center on 6th Street in Nenana. The Public Information Office numbers are: (907) 832-1097, (907) 832-1836, or (907) 378-4624. The incident commander is Tony Doty of the Alaska Fire Service. Current information about the Rex Creek Fire and the Railbelt Complex is posted on the Inciweb site at http://www.inciweb.org/. You may also contact the Railbelt Complex Information Office via email at: mintoflatsouthfire@gmail.com. For a statewide perspective on the current fire situation you can view the AICC website at http://fire.ak.blm.gov/content/news/highlights/current.pdf. Additional information on Firewise preparedness tips can be obtained at: http://www.firewise.org/index.php.
