Warmer temperatures and sunny skies promoted a slight increase in fire behavior producing visible smoke from wildfires in southwest Alaska on Monday. There are currently 64 active fires in the Southwest Area according to the Division of Forestry office in… Read More ›
Month: July 2019
Smoke Outlook 7/29-7/30; Air quality improving, but smoke not gone over central Interior
While recent weather conditions have decreased smoke in most areas, warmer weather and persistent drought may cause an increase in fire activity over the next few days. Light haze may also develop over Juneau from fires in Canada, but air… Read More ›
Tanana Zone staffing three fires, monitoring others
The Tanana Zone has a number of fires currently in monitor status, with crews also staffing three active wildfires: Buster Creek, Little Creek and Grouse fires. Rain and higher humidities have allowed crews to make significant progress in securing all… Read More ›
Chetaslina and Long Fire Update: Why Monitor Fires?
COPPER CENTER, AK – The local area has received rainfall over the last few days allowing Wrangell-St. Elias to lift the campfire restrictions in the park and preserve. The use of gas grills and barbeques at campsites are allowed. Fire activity… Read More ›
Warm, Dry Weather Forecasted; Helicopters to assist Backhaul Missions
Daily Update for July 29 Sterling, AK – Significant rainfall over the past five days has saturated the upper layers of duff on the forest floor. The deeper layers of decaying vegetation remain dry, but considerable drying would have to… Read More ›
Chalkyitsik Complex: “hot and dry”, minimal growth
While Fairbanks experienced rain on Sunday, fire crews working in Chalkyitsik experienced “hot and dry weather”, said Chalkyitsik Plans Chief, Mike Butteri. Crews continue to secure line and the western perimeter between Chahalie Lake and Ohtig Lake and complete firing… Read More ›
Aerial Fireline Video: Remote cabin on Native allotment saved on the Draanjik River
This video from July 21 shows how the hard work completed by smokejumpers saved a cabin on a Native allotment on the Draanjik (Black) River from the Bearnose and Frozen Calf fires in the Chalkyitsik Complex. Subscribe to the Chalkyitsik… Read More ›
How do they to it? A closer look at the Incident Command System at the Mcgrath Fire Base
The Laguna Fire of 1970 scorched more than 175,000 acres east of San Diego, California, killing 16 people and costing taxpayers $234 million. Resulting studies of the Laguna Fire and other catastrophic fires found that failures in communications and management… Read More ›
Southwest Alaska Area Fire Information Update – July 28
Isolated showers visited Southwest Alaska on Sunday and are expected to continue into next week. Several fires have recorded little to no rain. There are 64 active fires, and no new fires were reported. Five fires remain staffed to protect… Read More ›
Fireline Video: Watch as Fire Crews Load “Backhaul” into a Support Airplane in Chalkyitsik, Alaska
Subscribe to the Chalkyitsik Complex YouTube channel for instant notification of new fireline videos. https://bit.ly/2K5TW6h. When airplanes like the CASA C-212 Aviocar land at the Chalkyitsik airstrip in the remote and roadless area 50 miles east of Ft Yukon, there… Read More ›
Alaska Wildland Fire Information 