8/23/19 UPDATED 8:45 pm Swan Lake Fire

Pyrocumulus from the Swan Lake Fire

The Sterling Highway is still open at 7:45 pm.

Fire Operations people are reporting a lot of activity on the Swan Lake Fire this afternoon primarily in the area north of Engineer Lake.  The western perimeter toward Sterling has not had much activity today since the winds have pushed the fire to the east.

There was also activity around Jean Lake and crews made some progress to the east where the fire has crossed Jim's Landing. We don't have any more specific information about that eastern perimeter.

The large pyrocumulus you can see over the fire is in the area west of hidden lake and north of Engineer Lake. A pyrocumulus cloud forms from rising air that results from intense heating of the surface by phenomena such as wildfires or volcanic eruptions. A big fire produces strong upward moving air currents that carry water vapor and ash upward