While fire season is winding down in much of Alaska, eastern regions remain hot and dry, keeping fire danger elevated. A load of BLM Alaska Fire Service smokejumpers is mobilizing Monday evening to protect an Alaska Native allotment from the Christian Fire (#255), about 50 miles north of Fort Yukon. The fire was very active Sunday and Monday, with continued activity likely Tuesday due to forecast southwest winds of 13–17 mph and gusts up to 30.
The fire exhibited extreme behavior on its northeast corner during a Sunday flight to assess its proximity to identified sites of value along the Sheenjek River. It has spread northeast and is moving toward the Sheenjek River.
While surveying the northwest corner during a flight Sunday, firefighters observed activity on a separate fire to the west, identified as the 1,100-acre Burnt Fire (#439). It was less intense than the Christian Fire. Although the two fires are close, they have not merged. The Christian Fire has burned around the base of Burnt Mountain and is about a mile north of White Lake, nearly seven miles east of the Burnt Fire. Both fires were caused by lightning; the Christian Fire was discovered on June 20, and the Burnt Fire on July 11.
Both fires are burning in a limited management option area within the Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge. In these areas, wildfires are generally allowed to play their natural ecological role unless they threaten people or property. When values are at risk, firefighters may take targeted action to protect them without stopping the overall fire spread. This strategy emphasizes firefighter safety, protection of values, and minimizing impact to the landscape.
Meanwhile, BLM AFS personnel are conducting reconnaissance flights in several areas to monitor fires and assess activity, while some staffed fires elsewhere in the state are wrapping up and returning equipment to agency warehouses.
Fire managers in the Upper Yukon Zone, which spans 51.9 million acres in northeastern Alaska, are closely monitoring remote areas affected by persistent dry conditions. The Yukon Flats, near the Arctic Circle, is one of the warmest and driest areas in Alaska during summer, often leading to prolonged fire seasons.
Although rain is forecast throughout much of Alaska today, fire activity could increase with the return of warmer weather in eastern part of the state by the end of the week.
With the addition of the firefighters mobilizing for the Christian Fire, there are now 12 staffed fires, half of which are within BLM AFS’s area encompassing an area larger than the size of Texas covering the northern half of Alaska.
Ptarmigan Complex
The only active fires in the Upper Yukon Zone are associated with the Ptarmigan Complex. Recent aerial surveys have revealed some interior heat, but minimal activity along the fire perimeters. These observations, along with localized weather conditions and regional outlook data, are being utilized to prioritize upcoming tasks and adjust incident staffing accordingly.
The Crow Peak Wildland Fire Module from the Black Hills National Forest will demobilize today after pulling all hose and pumps that had been positioned near an Alaska Native allotment north of the Turtle Fire (#243). This lightning-caused fire started on June 19 and merged with the Ikheenjik Fire (#242) to burn a total of an estimated 35,991 acres.
A cooler, wetter weather pattern is forecasted starting today, with rain showers and a chance of isolated thunderstorms expected through tonight. Southwest winds will continue over the next few days. This will allow for some firefighters to be released from the incident and remaining personnel to focus on monitoring, equipment removal, and restoration efforts.
Read all the Ptarmigan Complex updates here.
Obrien Fire (#172)
Due to reduced fire activity and successful suppression efforts on the Himalaya Road and Aggie Creek fires, the BLM Eastern Interior Field Office reduced the area closed in the western portion of the White Mountains National Recreation Area. This new fire order opens public access to a one-mile area from the Wickersham Dome Trailhead, near mile 127.7 of the Elliott Highway. Starting on Aug. 1, the order further reduces the area closed, opening access to Lee’s and Moose Creek cabins, and Wickersham Dome. Although reduced in size, a fire closure area is still needed for public and firefighter safety due to activity.
This lightning-caused fire was returned to the Upper Yukon Zone management on Sunday. It was estimated at 8,125 acres and is being monitored after firefighters had earlier done work to protect four public use cabins.
Find more information about this reduced closure order including a map here.
Roundabout Complex
About 61 people are assigned to this complex of fires burning near Huslia, with all but the 72,875-acre Moldy Fire (#279) in monitor status. Fire behavior remains minimal with some smoldering and creeping. There is no change to reported acres.
The Flagstaff Hotshots and the BLM AFS Midnight Sun Hotshots have been mopping up and securing fire lines around Alaska Native allotments in the northern and southern divisions.
The area is experiencing cooler, wetter weather, with more forecasted to aid firefighters’ work on the ground. The Moldy Fire, discovered on June 20, is burning on the opposite side of the Koyukuk River from Huslia.
Read all the Roundabout Complex updates here.
Goldrun Complex
There are currently 52 personnel assigned to the Goldrun Complex, including a Type 4 management organization composed primarily of BLM AFS personnel and a BLM Type 2 Alaska contract crews. The complex includes nine fires burning between Ambler and Kiana in the Northwest Arctic. None of the fires have shown growth in recent days.
The Nuna Fire (#420), discovered on July 7, is estimated at approximately 15,000 acres and is burning due west of the Jade Mountains, north of the Kobuk River. The K-River #1 Type 2 contract crew demobilized from the fire on Sunday. The fire will continue to be monitored with periodic aerial flights.
The Onion Fire (#433), discovered on July 9, is located south of the Kobuk River and is estimated at about 1,307 acres. The Mooseheart Crew, a Type 2 contract crew comprising firefighters assembled from Fairbanks, Tanana, and Minto, is working to secure the fire’s edge by extinguishing hotspots and removing unnecessary equipment.
The 11,858-acre Kaliguricheark Fire (#410), which previously burned through the Kobuk Fire (#411), Hunt Fire (#409), and Tutuksuk Fire (#424), is now in monitor status. The Jade (#407), Karet (#408), and Salmon (#423) fires are contained and controlled, and are also being monitored.
The entire complex experienced multiple isolated showers over the area on Sunday.
Read all the Goldrun Complex updates here.
Ninetyeight Fire (#218)
Thirteen firefighters, including the Shasta-Trinity Helitack crew from California, are retrieving water handling equipment like pumps and hoses after successfully containing the fire’s southern edge near cabins along the Salcha River. The rest of the fire showed minimal smoke and no growth on Sunday.
The lightning-caused fire has been burning north of the Salcha River southeast of Fairbanks since June 19. It merged with the Brigadier Fire burning in the Yukon Training Area east of Eielson Air Force Base to burn a combined estimated 16,535 acres.
The Fairbanks North Star Borough has a Level 1 “Ready” Evacuation in place for the Middle and Lower Salcha River due to the limited fire activity in the area. To find your property check the evacuation map here: bit.ly/3GfwZyt
Read all the Ninetyeight Fire updates here.
Lush Fire (#199)
There were still 46 people working on this 26,544-acre fire burning north of the Koyukuk River from Rampart. Fire behavior remains minimal, though some heat lingers in sheltered fuels and deeper duff layers. Light smoke and occasional single-tree torching continue from isolated interior pockets.
Read all the Lush Fire updates here.
For more information, contact BLM Alaska Fire Service Public Affairs Specialist Beth Ipsen at (907)356-5510 or eipsen@blm.gov.
–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. 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.
Categories: Active Wildland Fire, AK Fire Info, BLM Alaska Fire Service, BLM Eastern Interior Field Office
Alaska Wildland Fire Information 