Starry Fire hits 70% containment; wetting rain expected Friday night

The Starry Fire near Anderson reached 70% containment Friday as crews worked 50 to 100 feet in from the perimeter extinguishing heat, with wetting rain forecast for Friday evening and a greater than 50% chance of rain and thunderstorms Saturday.

The 547-acre fire started June 20 and was linked to lightning. Evacuation status for Anderson dropped from GO to SET to READY as containment climbed from 60% on June 25 to 70% Friday. Incident Commander Torrey Short has focused efforts on keeping the fire away from Anderson and Clear.

Three Type 6 engines from Anderson, Fairbanks, and the Tongass National Forest worked a section that had slopped over Crescent Road on the south side, eliminating all visible heat except for one area 300 feet inside the fire's edge. The Mooseheart Type 2 crew gridded a 1.5-acre spot fire on the south section and plans to call it out by the end of the next shift.

The Division of Forestry and Fire Protection defines wetting rain as more than one-tenth of an inch. The agency said Friday's report would be the last evening update on the Starry Fire unless significant activity occurs, with daily updates replacing the evening schedule.

The Seventeenmile Fire remains under state monitoring with no significant activity. The Lost Fire is in monitor status after crews dug up and cut out all heat Wednesday and Thursday.