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Fires near Eagle, Steese Highway rekindle with return of warm weather

By BLM Alaska Fire Service on August 7, 2024

After days of rain, warm weather has revived fire activity on the Sinnott Fire (#382) north of Eagle and the American Fire (#262) along Preacher Creek, 12 miles north of the 77-mile Steese Highway. The latter is producing smoke visible to motorists and pilots in the area.

The 4,457-acre American Fire, previously dormant, likely continued smoldering under white spruce in the Preacher Creek drainage. As temperatures returned to hot, dry, and windy on Tuesday, it sprang back to life, creating a noticeable smoke column visible from the Steese Highway. This fire is in a remote area and poses no threat to infrastructure.

Smoke billowing up from a forest fire burning next to a creek. — The 4,457-acre #AmericanFire, previously dormant, likely continued smoldering under white spruce in the Preacher Creek drainage. As temperatures returned to hot, dry, and windy on Tuesday, it sprang back to life, creating a noticeable smoke column visible from the Steese Highway. This fire is in a remote area and poses no threat to infrastructure.

Meanwhile, spotty rain had subdued the 1,000-acre Sinnott Fire, but it too has shown increased activity as a northwest finger burns up the Sinnott Creek drainage. This area is also very remote.

A northwest finger of the Sinnott Fire burns up the Sinnott Creek drainage. This area is also very remote. Photo by Cammy Roy, BLM AFS (Aug. 6, 2024)
Spotty rain showers had subdued the 1,000-acre #SinnottFire, but it too has shown increased activity as a northwest finger burns up the Sinnott Creek drainage. This area is also very remote. Photo by Cammy Roy, BLM AFS (Aug. 6, 2024)

The recent fire activity is expected to be short-lived with cooler, wetter weather anticipated by Friday.

BLM Alaska Fire Service fire managers will continue to monitor these fires until there is a fire season-ending weather event.

Contact BLM Alaska Fire Service Public Affairs Specialist Beth Ipsen at 907-356-5510 or eipsen@blm.gov for more information.

-BLM-

Bureau of Land Management, Alaska Fire Service, P.O. Box 35005 1541 Gaffney Road, Fort Wainwright, Ak 99703

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The Bureau of Land Management Alaska Fire Service (AFS) located at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, provides wildland fire suppression services for over 240 million acres of Department of the Interior and Native Corporation Lands in Alaska. In addition, AFS has other statewide responsibilities that include: interpretation of fire management policy; oversight of the BLM Alaska Aviation program; fuels management projects; and operating and maintaining advanced communication and computer systems such as the Alaska Lightning Detection System. AFS also maintains a National Incident Support Cache with a $23 million inventory. The Alaska Fire Service provides wildland fire suppression services for America’s “Last Frontier” on an interagency basis with the State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources, USDA Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Military in Alaska.