The Alaska Division of Forestry is currently responding to a wildfire southeast of Tok.
The Taixtsalda Hill Fire (#357) was reported as a 20-acre fire at approximately 12:45 p.m. Monday. The fire is approximately 38 miles southeast of Tok and 16 miles southwest of the village of Northway.
The smoke column is clearly visible from the villages of Northway and Tetlin, the latter of which is approximately 22 miles to the southeast.
A load of eight smokejumpers from the BLM Alaska Fire Service is preparing to deploy on the fire and an air retardant tanker from Palmer is also responding, as are four-water scooping aircraft from Fairbanks. Smokejumpers should be on the ground soon and a helicopter from the state forestry office in Tok has been dropping water on the fire to slow its spread. The Type 2 UAF Nanooks Wildland Fire Crew has also been ordered to the fire.
The fire is located in a full protection management area and fire managers are taking full suppression action in an attempt to stop the fire’s spread. The closest known value at risk is a cabin about 6 miles to the southeast of the fire.
At last report, the fire had developed two heads, one of which was spreading to the northeast and another that was spreading to the southwest. The fire is burning in a mixture of black and white spruce.
Categories: Active Wildland Fire, AK Fire Info
Alaska Wildland Fire Information 