Fire managers prepositioned additional resources at the Smokejumper Base on Fort Wainwright with warm temperatures and high lightning activity forecast. There is high demand for the 70 Alaska-based smokejumpers and 54 additional smokejumpers from the lower 48. After yet another wave of thunderstorms moved across Alaska, nearly all aerial resources and smokejumpers were deployed on Friday afternoon from the BLM Alaska Fire Service.
As of 4 p.m on Saturday, there were 84 active wildfires, with 16 new starts in the past 24 hours. Scoopers worked the 300-acre Naluk Fire (#209), identified on Friday in Selawik National Wildlife Refuge, moderating fire activity in black spruce. Smokejumpers are working on containment for the Wheeler (#198) and Yuki (#200) fires, also detected on Friday. The Wheeler Fire is located in Koyukuk National Wildlife Refuge, estimated at 40 acres. The Yuki Fire is located on state lands and estimated at 25 acres. Two new fires were detected in the Galena Zone on Saturday; reconnaissance is underway.
Plumes could be seen from Fairbanks on Friday and Saturday afternoon from two new fires located on military lands, 15 miles north of the McDonald Fire. At 9 a.m. on Saturday, the Clear Fire (#204) was 300 acres with an active perimeter and continuous fuel ahead of the fire with high potential to spread. The Meridian Fire (#205) was estimated at one acre, with a 30% active perimeter. These fires are burning in proximity to military impact areas and are monitored but unstaffed due to potential for unexploded ordnance.
Eight smokejumpers deployed to Deep Fire (#213) on Saturday afternoon, approximately 8 miles south of Lake Minchumina. Scoopers and an air tanker were also called to respond to the fire burning in a full suppression management area on state lands.
Firefighters remain vigilant for holdover or sleeper fires from the lightning activity in prior days. The Alaska Interagency Coordination Center moved to Planning Level 3 at noon today, due to increased levels of initial and extended attack, as well as anticipated warm and dry weather.
As of Saturday at 4 p.m., 195 fires have burned an estimated 107,624 acres in Alaska, with approximately 45,000 acres from the McDonald Fire southeast of Fairbanks.
Categories: Active Wildland Fire, BLM Alaska Fire Service
Alaska Wildland Fire Information 