Containment increased to 100% on the Loon Lake Fire on Saturday, according to a final update from Incident Commander Bryan Quimby. Moving forward, the fire will transition to Type 4 Incident Commander Kyle McNally at noon today.
As containment reached 100% on the 102 acre fire, 53 personnel were tackling the fire as of today, but 25 will remain with the Type 4 team after today.
Fire crews continued mopping up and gridding for hot spots deeper into the fire perimeter on Friday, with the minimum distance of 100 feet having been already achieved. The UAF Wildland Fire Crew Nanooks Wildland Fire Type 2 hand crew worked with Gannett Glacier Fire Crew to search for heat both in the interior of the fire around the edges of any green or unburnt islands. Cooler, cloudy and wet weather has moderated fire behavior, with no fire growth and no smoke showing.
With the Loon Lake Fire 100% contained, what’s next for the Kenail this summer? Jeff Bouschor, Fire Management Officer for the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge:
With the constant concern of interactions with bears and other wildlife, the crew will continue to focus on maintaining a clean camp and backhauling trash every time a helicopter lands to deliver personnel or supplies.