Home › Active Wildland Fire › Winds bring life to smoldering coal seam fire northeast of Healy
A coal seam fire that has been putting up minimal smoke since last week was carried into surrounding grass, tundra and light spruce by strong winds early Thursday morning. The Popovich Creek Coal Seam Fire (#067) does not pose a threat to the nearby community of Healy and there are currently no values at risk. The fire is in the same area where numerous coal seam fires have sprung up in previous years. The most recent one was last year’s Louise Creek Coal Seam Fire.
Division of Forestry & Fire Protection Fairbanks Area Helitack responded on Thursday afternoon with three firefighters and started bucket work on the estimated 1,036-acre fire. The DOF Pioneer Peak Hotshot crew and a dozer are also currently responding. They will improve and reinforce existing firelines from previous fires in the area to minimize the spread of the fire.
The fire is about five miles northeast of Healy and near the Usibelli Coal Mine. Smoke will be visible to residents in the area.
Public information map of the Popovich Creek Coal Seam Fire on Thursday, May 16, 2024, northeast of Healy, Alaska. Click on the map to download a PDF file to enlarge or print.Coal seam fires, which can smolder underground for years before coming to the surface, pose a threat to firefighters due to the noxious gases they emit and the potential for burned ground below them to collapse. They are virtually impossible to extinguish and carry over from year-to-year smoldering under the snow cover.
The Parks Highway has not been impacted by the fire and continues to be open traffic. The public is reminded to proceed with caution near the fire as firefighters, firefighting equipment and aviation will be visible between mile marker 253 and 255 on the Parks Highway.
There have been 64 wildland fires confirmed so far this season. The majority of these fires are human caused due to carelessness burning yard debris, unattended burn barrels and campfires that have not been fully extinguished. Human caused fires are easily preventable. It only takes one spark to ignite the dry, dead vegetation left behind as the snow melts away.
Categories: Active Wildland Fire, Alaska DNR – Division of Forestry (DOF)
Read More: Winds bring life to smoldering coal seam fire northeast of Healy – Alaska