Crews Monitor Hastings Fire, Prepare for a Downgrade

The 22,819-acre fire is now 61 percent contained.

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By Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Story Created: Jun 20, 2011 at 8:46 AM AKDT

Story Updated: Jun 20, 2011 at 8:46 AM AKDT

FAIRBANKS — Fresh smoke from the Hastings Fire could be seen from Fairbanks on Sunday, but it came from an already contained area where firefighters took advantage of sunny weather to burn an internal pocket of spent fuel.

The 22,819-acre fire is now 61 percent contained.

The only uncontained side is now the north edge, which firefighters are hoping to contain below Washington Creek, fire public information officer Sara Saarloos said.

The management of the fire, located about 15 miles northwest of Fairbanks, is preparing to switch from a more serious Type II fire to a smaller, locally managed Type III fire. The transition is expected to begin Wednesday, Saarloos aid.

At the East Volkmar Fire, 25 miles northeast of Delta Junction, the transfer to a Type III incident has already happened.

That fire is only 39 percent contained, but containment lines have been completed along the and west flanks of the fire, which were most likely to threaten structures.

“We’re not going for 100 percent containment, dispatcher Chris Lyon said.

“We’re transitioning from this being a suppression effort to it being monitoring effort.”

Contact staff writer Sam Friedman sfriedman@newsminer.com.

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