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ANDERSON COMPLEX DAILY FIRE UPDATE | Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023

Anderson Complex Fire Information

Phone: (907) 921-2553 (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.)

Email: 2023.andersoncomplex@firenet.gov

Evacuations downgraded; command of Anderson Complex to change hands

The Teklanika River and all residents along the Teklanika River have been moved from evacuation status GO to evacuation status SET. Individuals in this area should be set to leave at a moment’s notice.

All other residents, including those in the City of Anderson, North Forties, Kobe Ag, Rose Hip Creek and Clear Sky Homestead, have been released from evacuation status. Residents should remain alert and informed. If you encounter firefighters working in these areas, please give them space.

Individuals re-entering burned areas should be aware of possible hazards, including fire-damaged trees, ash pits, smoldering stumps or logs, and the potential for flash flooding. Areas impacted by the Birch Creek Fire (#285) have experienced flooding in recent days. Roads in the Rose Hip Creek area may be impassable due to water.

Visit the Denali Borough website for additional information.

FIRE UPDATE: This is the final update for Great Basin Team 3. The team will transfer command of the Anderson Complex to a Type 3 organization on Sunday, Aug. 20, at 8 a.m. Incident command will move from Anderson to Nenana to better support firefighters working on the Teklanika River Fire (#257) and Shores Landing Fire (#325). Both fires still have the potential to threaten structures and allotments.

Over the past three weeks, crews have ended the threat to 80 percent of the structures that were initially endangered by fires in the Anderson Complex. Cooler, wetter weather has also significantly reduced fire activity. Firefighters continue to remove pumps, hoses and other equipment from areas where they are no longer needed. The equipment is being brought to the incident helibase at the Nenana Airport before being returned to the interagency fire cache in Fairbanks.

Firefighters are still extinguishing hotspots and felling fire-damaged trees in some areas as part of a post-fire process known as mop-up. Suppression repair work is complete in the North Forties and Kobe Ag subdivisions. Roads in the area have been graded.

A contingent of firefighters assigned to the Anderson Complex remain ready to respond to any new fires in the area.

The Anderson Complex includes the Teklanika River Fire (#257), Birch Creek Fire (#285), Shores Landing Fire (#325), Rock Creek Fire (#287), Bear Creek Fire (#287), Kobe Road Fire (#297), Nenana River Fire (#288), and Nenana River 2 Fire (#289). The fires have a combined acreage of 58,933 acres.

WEATHER: Scattered showers are expected again today. Winds will still be from the southwest with gusts up to 18 mph. The high temperature should be in the low 60s. Widespread rain showers are in the forecast beginning Sunday.