McKinley Fire mop-up continues to make "good progress"

Firefighters continue to make progress on the McKinley Fire in challenging conditions, according to an update published on Thursday.

The fire remains at ninety-five percent containment, and still has over 500 personnel working on it, according to the incident management team. 

In many areas, there is no visible fire, but there ash pits and hot spots remain that still need to be mopped up.  According to Thursday’s update, firefighters are moving cautiously through the burn area using water and infrared cameras to locate those areas that still need attention.

In addition to the Division of Forestry crews and teams from out of state, the Caswell Lakes Fire Department is working to mitigate hazards around structures within the fire perimeter, such as burning chemicals that could create dangerous fumes.

Residents returning to the area are being urged by authorities to continue to exercise caution, as many hazards still exist, some of which may be currently undetected.