Pioneer Peak Hotshots pulled from Kenai fire to fight Mat-Su lightning starts

The Pioneer Peak Hotshot crew has been pulled from the Grandview Fire near Sterling and reassigned to the Mat-Su area after lightning sparked multiple new starts, the Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection reported.

The Gannet Glacier Type 2IA Crew is now carrying the suppression load alone on the Grandview Fire, identified as #204, which stood at 60 percent containment as of Friday. Fire activity that day remained minimal, allowing crews to focus on strengthening containment lines. Firefighters completed a hose lay around the perimeter and continued securing the fire's edge. Crews found residual heat along the right flank and worked to locate and extinguish remaining hotspots. Aerial drone missions Friday evening helped pinpoint hotspot locations.

On Saturday, the Gannet Glacier crew is working to secure a 50-foot buffer inside the fire perimeter, locating and extinguishing residual heat. An excavator is pulling apart berms and removing hazardous trees to ensure no hidden heat remains.

Fire Weather Adds Pressure

The National Weather Service in Fairbanks issued a Red Flag Warning for the Central Interior, in effect from 10 a.m. Saturday, June 20, 2026, through 10 p.m. AKDT Sunday, June 21, 2026. A Red Flag Warning signals that conditions are occurring or expected that could lead to the development of large and dangerous fires. Scattered thunderstorms, humidity dropping to around 30 percent, and wind gusts near thunderstorms potentially reaching 40 mph are forecast for the affected region.