A wildfire burned power lines and fiberoptic cables supporting training grounds northwest of Eielson AFB, Alaska, but did not damage base structures, according to base spokesman MSgt. Jason Vaught. The Stuart Creek 2 fire “hasn’t had any impact to the residents or any of our normal operations,” Vaught told the Daily Report on July 29. “We’ve been working closely with the Bureau of Land Management to ensure that there’s no danger to the base and . . . to ensure our residents are safe,” he said. Plans for the upcoming Red Flag-Alaska exercise, scheduled for Aug. 8 to Aug 23, continue, he said. Stuart Creek 2 started on June 19 in the Yukon Training Area, reported the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Vaught said he was unsure when technicians would repair the damaged lines and cables since firefighters were still battling the wildfire.
The U.K. and the U.S. will continue to enjoy access to the ports, airfield, and workshops at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean for at least another century, under a deal inked between the U.K. and Mauritius May 22.