It was busy this past week in the Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection (DFFP) response area with 28 new fires. Only one required an extended attack, the Mastadon Fire (#131) was discovered on Wednesday, June 3^rd. It was called out on Sunday. The majority of the rest were the typical human caused fires, many of them preventable, that DFFP faces each fire season. Of the 124 fires across Alaska so far this season, 118 are human caused. 

DFFP was notified of a grass fire in the village of Mertavik, 92 miles west of Bethel, on Monday, June 1^st. Community members reported that the 0.1-acre Mertarvik Fire (#120) had been extinguished Sunday, May 31^st. Forestry did not initiate an immediate response but will conduct a patrol of the area to verify the fire remains fully extinguished. 

Mat-Su Communications Public Safety Dispatch (MatCom) was notified of plumes of dark, grey smoke coming from a gravel pit off the Parks Highway in Willow on Monday, June 1^st. Forestry and Willow Volunteer Fire Department responded to the Mile 89 Parks Fire (#121) a 0.25-acre escaped debris pile, creeping and smoldering in wood, cars and yard debris. The fire was contained, controlled and placed into monitor status. Forestry returned to the fire on Tuesday and finding no heat or visible smoke called the fire out. 

MatCom was notified of an outside fire burning along the powerline at the end of Brooks Road in Palmer on Monday, June 1^st. Palmer Fire and Rescue and DFFP responded to the Brooks Fire (#122) and discovered a human caused, 0.1-aacre fire burning in grass and adjacent hardwood fuels. Firefighters contained, controlled and placed the fire in monitor status.  

The Anchorage Fire Department (AFD) responded to the Russian Jack Fire (#124) early Tuesday morning, June 2^nd, in the area of 6^th Avenue and Pine Street. AFD brought two 50-by-50-feet, grass and hazardous material fires under control. Forestry responded later in the day and reported the 0.1-acre fire to be contained and controlled but continuing to smolder in intermingled hazardous materials. The fire was placed in monitor status. Forestry returned to the fire on Friday and finding no heat or visible smoke called the fire out. 

MatCom was notified of a large plume of smoke in the area of Richey Court in Willow on Tuesday, June 2^nd. Willow Caswell Fire Department and Forestry responded to the Richey Court Fire (#125) and discovered two debris piles with trash. Each one was about 0.1-acre burning in dry grass, leaves and a mix of brush and spruce. Responding resources extinguished the fires declaring them contained, controlled and placed into monitor status. Forestry returned to the fire on Friday and finding no heat or visible smoke called the fire out. 

MatCom was notified of a vehicle fire that was spreading into the wildland in the area of Mile Post 88 of the Parks Highway on Tuesday, June 2^nd. Forestry and Central Mat-Su Fire Department responded to the MP 88 Parks Fire (#126) where the escapement from the vehicle fie was creeping and smoldering in grass. Borough resources extinguished the vehicle fire while wildland firefighters contained and controlled the 0.25-acre grass fire and placed it into monitor status. Forestry returned to the fire on Friday and finding no heat or visible smoke called the fire out. 

DFFP was notified of a 10-by-10-feet grass fire in the area of mile 108 of the Sterling Highway in Soldotna on Tuesday, June 2^nd. Forestry responded to the MM 108 Sterling Fire (#128) and discovered a 20-by-20-feet fire smoldering in grass that was extinguished. After completing a grid search for heat the fire was declared contained, controlled and placed into monitor status. 

Soldotna Public Safety Communications Center (SPSCC) was notified of a campervan on fire in the area of North Cohoe Loop Road in Kasilof on Tuesday, June 2^nd. Central Emergency Services (CES) and Forestry responded to the Cohoe Fire (#129) to find a fully engulfed campervan with 0.2-acres of wildland involvement, creeping and smoldering in grass. CES extinguished the campervan while wildland firefighters suppressed the grass fire. The incident was declared contained, controlled and placed into monitor status. Forestry returned to the fire Saturday and finding no heat or visible smoke declared the fire out. 

DFFP was notified of a small fire in the area of Milepost 89 of the Seward Highway on Tuesday, June 2^nd. Forestry responded to the MP 89 Seward Fire (#130) and extinguished a 0.1-acre grass fire along the highway and declared the fire out. 

A Mat-Su Forestry engine patrolling on the Parks Highway reported a small, dark smoke column in the area of Talkeetna on Wednesday, June 3^rd.  Talkeetna Fire Department and DFFP responded to the Mastadon Fire (#131) an active fire burning in grass, mixed hardwood, and black spruce. No structures were threatened and no evacuations were necessary. The multi-day response started with multiple engines, two helicopters making bucket drops, and Air Attack coordinating multiple retardant drops. DFFP Pioneer Peak Interagency Hotshot Crew and Mat-Su Type 2 Crew responded and engaged in suppression activities. The fire was 100% contained on Friday. The Mat-Su Crew made a final grid search of the 18.5-acre fire and surrounding green area on Sunday and declared the fire out.

Fairbanks Emergency Communications Center (FECC) was notified of a brush fire in the area of Tamarac Way in Delta Junction on Wednesday, June 3^rd. Forestry responded to the Tamarac Fire (#134) and found a 10-by-15-feet fire creeping and smoldering in grass and brush. The fire was contained, controlled and placed into monitor status. Forestry returned on Thursday to check the fire, finding no heat or visible smoke, the fire was called out. Upon further investigation it was learned that the property owner had taken a package of old gunpowder that was smelling bad due to deterioration and placed it outside the residence. Solar heating on the deteriorating gunpowder caused it to spontaneously combust. 

Hilcorp Oil and gas Facility in Nikiski notified DFFP of an outside fire Thursday, June 4^th. Forestry responded to the Flare Pit Fire (#136) and reported a 0.1-acre fire exhibiting no activity. Wildland firefighters conducted a grid search of the area and declared the fire contained, controlled and placed into monitor status.  

Chugiak Volunteer Fire and Rescue Company requested DFFP for a mutual-aid response to a grass fire in the area of Sandpiper Court in Anchorage on Thursday, June 4^th. Chugaik Fire and Forestry resources responded to the Sandpiper Fire (#139) and found a 50-by-100-feet escaped debris fire spreading uphill. Responding firefighters and the homeowner extinguished the 0.1-acre fire. The fire was declared contained, controlled and placed into monitor status. 

Soldotna Public Safety Communications Center (SPSCC) was notified of a vehicle fire with wildland involvement in the area of Denny Lane in Anchor Point on Thursday, June 4^th. DFFP Gannett Glacier Type 2 Initial Attack Crew and Western Emergency Services (WES) responded to the Denny Lane Fire (#140) and reported a grass fire spreading from a vehicle fire. WES extinguished the vehicle fire while the homeowner and Gannet Glacier suppressed the involved wildland. The incident was declared contained, controlled and placed into monitor status. Forestry returned to the fire Saturday and finding no heat or visible smoke declared the fire out. 

Kenai Area Forestry was notified of a grass fire on Corr Road in Kalifornsky on Thursday, June 4^th. Responders to the Corr Fire (#141) discovered an unpermitted individual burning tall grass during a Burn Permit Suspension. The fire was controlled, contained and placed in monitor status. A Small-Scale Burn Permit is required to burn a lawn of less than 1-acre with grass no taller than 4-inches. 

Chugiak Volunteer Fire and Rescue Company was notified of a fire on the side of the old Glenn Highwaynorth east of Eklutna on Friday, June 5^th. Chugiak Fire and Forestry responded to the North Old Glenn Fire (#144) burning in grass and brush on the shoulder of the northbound off ramp of the Glenn Highway. Anchorage Police Department responded to manage traffic as firefighters suppressed the 0.1-acre fire. The fire was declared contained, controlled and placed into monitor status. 

A caller notified MatCom of a grass fire after they attempted to put it out in the area of Old Trunk Road in Wasilla on Friday, June 5^th. Forestry responded to the Old Trunk Fire (#145) and discovered a 0.1-acre grass fire showing minimal activity. Firefighters extinguished the fire and declared it out. 

MatCom was notified of a fire at the Kenny and Patti Barber Shooting Range on Maud Road east of Butte on Friday, June 5^th. DFFP Helitack and engines responded to the Jim Fire (#146) and discovered a fire smoldering and creeping in grass with a 100% active perimeter. The helicopter made several bucket drops to assist the ground forces to halt the forward progression of 0.2-acre fire. Wildland firefighters contained, controlled and placed the fire into monitor status. 

The Anchorage Fire Department was notified of a small outside fire in the area of Klutina Drive in Anchorage on Friday, June 5^th. AFD requested a mutual-aid response by Forestry to the Klutina Fire (#147) a 0.1-acre fire smoldering in grass and mixed hardwoods with 10% active perimeter. Firefighters suppressed the fire and called it out. 

MatCom was notified of a residential fire spreading to the wildlands in the area of Bayridge Circle in Wasilla on Friday evening, June 5^th. Central Mat-Su Fire Department responded to the Baybridge Fire (#149) to find a 0.1-acre wildland fire, smoldering in spruce, mixed hardwoods with a couple of trees torching. No structures were involved. CMS Fire was able to get hose around the fire and requested Forestry respond to assist in suppression efforts. The fire was contained and controlled just before midnight. The 0.2-acre fire has been placed in monitor status. 

Alaska State Troopers notified Central Emergency Services (CES) of a camper on fire at the Tustumena Lake boat launch late Friday night, June 5^th. CES responded to the Tustumena Campground Fire (#150) and requested Forestry as the fire was spreading into nearby trees. CES reported the fire was smoldering and creeping in grass, duff and timber. CES suppressed the fire, requesting an additional water tender as the camper fire ignited a camper trailer it was towing. Forestry arrived and extinguished the wildland fire. Once the hazardous smoke from the campers cleared, wildland firefighters conducted a grid search of the burned area and surrounding green vegetation. Two areas of heat were extinguished, and the fire was declared contained, controlled and placed into monitor status. 

MatCom was notified of a wildland fire behind a business along the Parks Highway in Houston early Saturday morning, June 6^th. Houston Fire Department was dispatched to the Dana Fire (#151) and suppressed the 0.1-acre fire. Forestry was requested to grid the burned area and surrounding green vegetation in search of any lingering areas of heat. The fire was contained, controlled and placed into monitor status. 

A passing boater reported a log on fire on the bank of an island in the Yentna River, two miles upriver of its confluence with the Susitna River on Saturday, June 6^th. DFFP Helitack was launched to the Yentna Island Fire (#152) and discovered a smoldering log surrounded by gravel 100-feet away from hardwoods. Helitack firefighters cut up and extinguished the log, calling the fire out. The cause of the ignition is unknown. 

Alaska State Troopers reported a fire along the Kenai Spur Highway on Saturday, June 6^th. Central Emergency Services responded to the Church Hill Fire (#153) and extinguished a 2-by-7-feet grass fire north of Church Hill Avenue. Forestry responded and insured there was no remaining heat and placed the fire in monitor status.  

MatCom was notified of a tree on fire at the end of Maud Road on Saturday, June 6^th. Forestry responded to the Jim Lake Fire (#154 Jim) and discovered a single tree burning from an abandoned, escaped campfire. A faller fell the tree. The campfire and tree were extinguished. The fire was declared contained controlled and placed in monitor status.

Houston Fire Department was dispatched to a smoldering bonfire early Saturday morning, June 6^th. Houston firefighters extinguished the fire and requested a Forestry Prevention Officer to respond. Forestry arrived at the Railside Fire (#156) a 10-by-10-feet pallet and railroad tie fire that had been contained and controlled. The fire was placed into monitor status. 

Homer based DFFP wildland firefighters on their morning physical training run came across an abandoned bonfire on the beach Sunday, June 7^th. Firefighters returned to the Mud Bay Fire (#158) and extinguished the 5-by-5-feet fire that had escaped and was smoldering in the adjacent grass and brushwood. The fire is contained, controlled and in monitor status. 

Soldotna Public Safety Communications Center (SPSCC) was notified of a brush fire in the area of Milepost 114 Sterling Highway near Kasilof on Sunday, June 7^th. Forestry responded and with the help of the reporting party found the MM 114 Sterling Fire (#160) a 2-by-3-feet fire exhibiting minimal activity just north of Cohoe Loop on the northbound side of the highway. Responders extinguished the fire, gridded the area and placed the fire in monitor status.

Categories: Active Wildland Fire, Alaska DNR - Division of Forestry & Fire Protection (DFFP)

Tags: 2026 Alaska Fire Season, Baybridge Fire, Brooks Fire, Church Hill Fire, Cohoe Fire, Corr Fire, Dana Fire, Denny Lane Fire, DFFP Coastal Region, DFFP Northern Region, Flare Pit Fire, Jim Fire, Jim Lake Fire, Klutina Fire, Mastadon Fire, Mertavik Fire, Mile 89 Parks Fire, MM 108 Sterling Fire, MM 114 Sterling Fire, MP 88 Parks Fire, MP 89 Seward Fire, Mud Bay Fire, North Old Glenn Fire, Old Trunk Fire, Railside Fire, Richey Court Fire, Russian Jack Fire, Sandpiper Fire, Tamarac Fire, Tustumena Campground Fire, Yentna Island Fire