After a months-long investigation, the US Army Alaska acknowledged today it was responsible for starting an Interior Alaska wildfire that forced the evacuation of 1,200 people and scorched some 80,000 acres near Chena Hot Springs road -- 60 miles northeast of Fairbanks. In July, Fort Wainwright commander, Col. Ron Johnson, told a gathered crowd of area residents that Army artillery training in late June -- held during a high wind warning -- caused the Stuart Creek 2 wildfire. But several days later, as the flames forced the evacuation of more than 1,000 people from the Pleasant Valley area of Chena Hot Springs Road, Army officials backtracked on Johnson's comments, saying that they were unsure of the fire's cause.
The Monday announcement by the Army that it is responsible for starting the fire comes after a 14-week investigation into the fire as well as Army standards governing when training takes place.
From June 14-19, the Army conducted artillery training at the Yukon Training Area -- a sprawling chunk of military land between Fairbanks and Eielson Air Force Base. A Red Flag Warning was in effect during the training -- a designation given to warm, dry and windy days, when fire danger is extreme. The Bureau of Land Management and the Fort Wainwright Fire Department both recommended against artillery training because of the warning, but commanders got a waiver from Army headquarters at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, near Anchorage.
Most costly Alaska fire of summer
A fire was first reported in the area June 19, and was monitored until June 25, when the flames kicked up and raced toward the Chena Hot Springs area, threatening homes, cabins, and businesses.
It ended up being the costliest fire suppression effort in Alaska this summer -- totaling more than $5.5 million to fight.
Ammunition used by the 1st Styker Brigade Combat Team's artillery unit included 155mm high-explosive rounds and aerial illumination rounds, according to Army spokesperson, John Pennell.
The Army has set up a website for people to submit monetary damage claims.
Training decision not properly handled
In addition to looking into the cause of the fire, the Army report also examined the procedures the military uses for approving artillery training in Alaska during days of high fire danger.
The Army report said the artillery unit should not have been allowed to use high explosive shells during the Red Flag Warning in June. It also claimed the decision to conduct the training was not properly handled by Army Alaska staff. The report recommended the Army use non-incendiary shells for artillery practice when local fire danger is high.
"We will increase and improve our training conferences in order to better plan and mitigate the risks of fire, while still maintaining a high level of readiness among our units," the report stated.
The Army also said it would make its fleet of unmanned drones available to the Alaska Fire Service to better monitor fire areas and provide reconnaissance to fires already burning.
Contact Sean Doogan at sean(at)alaskadispatch.com