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Firefighters prepare for critical fire weather on the Oskawalik Fire

By Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection on June 17, 2025

Containment on the Oskawalik Fire (#122) is at 9% due to the efforts from 90 firefighters and supporting aircraft assigned to this 1,658-acre wildfire. The fire is now being managed as a Type 3 incident, reflecting the complexity and suppression effort.

Crews are working directly on the fire’s edge, cutting saw line and utilizing pumps and hoses to establish further containment. Smokejumpers are focused on the southwest corner of the fire, conducting suppression efforts with hand tools. On the north side, the BLM Alaska Fire Service (BLM AFS) Chena Interagency Hotshots are operating alongside Division of Forestry & Fire Protection (DOF) Gannett Glacier Type 2 Initial Attack Crew where they are clearing vegetation and installing protection measures around Native Allotments that remain outside of the fire’s perimeter.

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Personnel assigned include BLM Alaska Smokejumpers, BLM AFS Chena Interagency Hotshots, DOF Gannett Glacier T2 IA Crew, McGrath Helitack, and Southwest #1, #2 Suppression Modules. Air support includes water scooping aircraft and retardant tankers.

Briefing Southwest Suppression Module. Photo Credit: Steven Rawlding
Crew Gridding on the Oskawalik. Photo Credit: Steven Rawlding
Crew Hiking off of the Oskaawalik Fire. Photo Credit: Steven Rawlding
Crew Photo with Oskawalik column in the background. Photo Credit: Steven Rawlding
Crew Photo with Oskawalik column in the background. Photo Credit: Steven Rawlding
Crew near Kuskokwim River. Photo Credit: Steven Rawlding
Boat Ride on the Kuskokwim. Photo Credit: Steven Rawlding
Sunset at the Oskawalik Fire. Photo Credit: Steven Rawlding
Saw Team. Photo Credit: Steven Rawlding

A Red Flag Warning is in effect from 1:00 p.m. Tuesday through 1:00 a.m. Wednesday for the Middle Yukon Valley, Lower Yukon and Innoko Valleys, and Upper Kuskokwim Valley, including McGrath. The warning signals the potential for rapid fire growth due to numerous thunderstorms, frequent lightning, hot, dry, and windy conditions. Combined with long daylight hours around the solstice, crews are preparing for an increase in fire activity.