US395 reopens and Slink Fire evacuations lifted

Wednesday evening update: The Slink Fire behavior today was moderate, though the south end saw small, terrain driven runs. The fire is 14,200 acres and 10 percent contained.

Firefighters expect the fire to remain active overnight into tomorrow as fuel moisture levels are incredibly low and predicted increased air ventilation may significantly influence fire behavior. The fire continues to move south in the Lost Cannon Creek drainage and west to the Iceberg Wilderness. One priority is to prevent the fire spread to the south and the Marine Warfare Training Center. Fire management is working closely with the Marine Corps to protect the area.

Evacuations are no longer in effect for Cunningham Lane south to the town of Walker. Highway 395 is open.

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The Slink Fire behavior moderated today and hard work by firefighters has increased the containment to 10 percent. All evacuations in the towns of Walker and Coleville have been lifted and Highway 395 is now open to traffic.

The fire is now 11,000 acres. Air operations have been a challenge for the Slink Fire due to dense smoke creating poor visibility in the last few days. Today, however, clearer air gave aircraft the opportunity to engage in firefighting efforts for the entire operational shift. Several retardant drops were made by heavy airtankers, single engine airtankers and very large airtankers, also known as VLATS. A VLAT is a converted passenger jetliner that can carry up to 12,000 gallons of fire retardant. The combination of fixed wing retardant drops and helicopter water drops greatly supported firefighters on the eastern and southern portions of the fire.

Because of the proximity to the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center, the Marine Corps personnel have offered assistance to the fire. They are being utilized in several ways to support the fire camp and logistical needs.

"The cooperation between the Marine Corps and the Incident Management team has been outstanding. They have been a valuable asset and we greatly appreciate their help. When we have needed anything, we didn’t even have to ask, they were already doing it,” said Scott Fraser, Sierra Front Team 2 Incident Commander.

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Tuesday morning update: Fire behavior moderated somewhat overnight but continued to grow and evacuations and road closures all remain in effect. The fire is currently estimated at 8,300 acres and 5 percent contained.

Today, firefighters will continue their work, going directly along the fire’s edge wherever possible to work to increase containment and slow progression of the fire. Structure protection will continue to take place should the need arise. Because of the predicted weather and fuel conditions, the fire has the potential to exhibit similar behavior as was seen yesterday. Fire officials would like to urge the public and area residents to stay up to date with current fire conditions and be prepared in case the fire makes another run today. Visit https://www.readyforwildfire.org/prepare-for-wildfire/ready-set-go/ for evacuation checklists and information on how to be prepared.

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Influenced by dry fuels, topography and winds, the Slink Fire made a substantial run towards the towns of Walker and Coleville at approximately 3:00 p.m. Monday afternoon. The fire has grown to 6,500 acres, with five percent containment.

The entire town of Walker, on both sides of Highway 395, has been evacuated. U.S Highway 395 is closed from Topaz Lane north of Coleville to Eastside Lane in the town of Walker.

Evacuees can go to Topaz Lodge and coordinate with the Red Cross.

On Monday, firefighters experienced extreme fire behavior, with wind driven runs, crown fire and long-range spotting according to Inciweb. Multiple fire whirls caused rapid growth towards both Walker and Coleville. Additional resources have been ordered, however, due to significant fire activity in the state and across the nation, fire resources are in high demand not always readily available.

Firefighter’s main priority Monday night and Tuesday will be providing structure protection in the Coleville and Walker areas if the need arises. Another area of concern is the Iceberg Wilderness on the west side of the fire. Based on tomorrow’s expected winds and low humidity, firefighters expect to continue to experience extreme fire behavior.

Air operations has been a challenge due to dense smoke, hampering the ability to use fixed wing aircraft most of the day. In addition to the Slink Fire, multiple other fires in California have contributed to the dense smoke and poor air quality in the area. Visit https://fire.airnow.gov/ to view updated smoke impacts.

The Slink Fire wasfirst reported on August 29 at 6:00 p.m. in the Slinkard Valley southwest of Topaz Lake.