Starry Fire hits 50% containment as military crews join Alaska firefighters

Containment Milestone

The Starry Fire reached 50% containment Tuesday after crews secured a 5-foot buffer inside the fire's edge and confirmed no heat within 150 feet outside the perimeter.

"The Starry Fire #234 is now 50% contained," the Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection said in a Tuesday update. "Firefighters secured at least 5 feet inside the fire's edge by locating and extinguishing heat."

Crews on the Ground

The suppression effort spans the full perimeter. The Midnight Sun Hot Shot Crew and Fairbanks 1 Type 2 Crew tied in their saw line and secured the east side. The Pioneer Peak Hotshot Crew locked down the west and north sides. The Yukon Type 2 IA Crew completed a green grid on the north and west. About two dozen firefighters, including active-duty Air Force Airmen from Eielson Air Force Base, Clear Space Force Station, and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, worked the south side, addressing a 1.5-acre spot and a slop-over.

Starry Fire staff are also watching a second fire. "A contingent of Starry Fire resources used a 'Fat Truck' to find access to the Lost Fire, which is being monitored by Starry Fire staff," Jordan Kelley of the Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection said in the update.

Weather moved in Tuesday evening to help. Thunderclouds, rain, and wind arrived and are expected to moderate heat inside the perimeter.