Polly Fire holds one-third mile from Taylor Highway; crews deploy sprinklers

A wildfire is burning close enough to the Taylor Highway near milepost 110 that firefighters have installed hoses and sprinklers to protect nearby structures in the Fortymile Country.

The Polly Fire was detected June 20 after a significant lightning event. It sits roughly 21 miles north of Chicken and 35 miles south of Eagle. The fire is holding about one-third of a mile west of the highway.

Firefighters with the Alaska Range Suppression Module from Denali National Park set up hoses and sprinklers to protect structures in the area. A helicopter will drop water on the eastern flank of the fire to keep it west of Polly Creek, according to the U.S. Wildland Fire Service. Firefighters will continue structure protection work Thursday.

Fire activity was minimal Wednesday morning, but the afternoon brought a warning sign. Isolated torching was observed as temperatures rose and relative humidity dropped, a pattern that can push a fire from quiet to fast-moving within hours.

Road and Community Risk

The U.S. Wildland Fire Service is asking drivers to change their behavior on the road. "Drivers are asked to not stop along the highway to watch the fire and to yield to firefighting traffic," the agency said. Smoke may be visible from the Taylor Highway corridor and from nearby communities.

Residents and travelers between Chicken and Eagle should expect firefighting traffic and reduced visibility near milepost 110.

What to Expect

The statewide fire situation remains active. A strong band of thunderstorms with abundant lightning again covered a broad swath of Alaska on Wednesday, from the southwest to northeast, and more lightning is predicted. Firefighters are also working along the Elliott Highway in addition to the Taylor Highway corridor.

Public Information Officer Joan Kluwe with the U.S. Wildland Fire Service can be reached at [email protected] or (907) 356-5510.