BLM Alaska Fire Service smokejumpers responded to a wildfire Tuesday that that appeared to ignite on a Native allotment on the Kobuk River east of Kiana in northwestern Alaska. The Deviation Fire (#126) rapidly consumed a mixture of tundra and black spruce. The 12 smokejumpers, supported by a BLM AFS Galena Management Zone helicopter conducting water drops, managed to corral the fire at approximately 80 acres. They are working diligently into the night to secure the fire’s edges and prevent further spread.

The fire was first reported around 2:30 p.m. by a local aviation service and nearby residents. Several individuals were already attempting to extinguish the blaze when the smokejumpers arrived from Fairbanks.

The wildfire is located on the north side of the Kobuk River, just east of Napautokik Creek, about 7.5 air miles east of Kiana. While the immediate focus remains on fire suppression, the cause of the fire is still undetermined.

This story was edited from original version to update the direction fire is from Kiana.

For more information, contact BLM AFS Public Affairs Specialist Beth Ipsen at (907)356-5510 or eipsen@blm.gov.

Categories: AK Fire Info