The rainy season is upon us, and with it the fires are going out in the Fairbanks area. The winds have consistently blown the fires back upon themselves for a week, resulting in little advancement, if any, of the flames. We are safe.
Scott is up working at the Boundary/Wolf Creek Fire (those two fires finally merged into one big fire) with his bulldozer, and has been living at the fire camp for a week. Fourteen hour days are the norm for the heavy equipment operators, who are doing "rehab", that is pushing the vegetation back onto the fire line cuts that were made to stop the fires. He says he hasn't been anywhere near any blackened timbers, except to see them from far away over a hillside. He hasn't seen any flames at all, either.
The crews are going home, a few at a time. It looks like the camp might be open for several more days but that will be about it. The smoke did not come back after this last, and worst episode. My particulate mask is still hanging from my rear-view mirror! I'm glad I haven't had to use it.
