Evacuation levels are being lowered for the Mukluk Fire (#487) on Sunday afternoon. All of the Level 1 READY and Level 2 SET zones have been removed. The Level 3 GO! Midnight Sun Zone for the area on the north side of the Alaska Highway from Sun Dog Trail to 5th Street East, to north of Red Fox Drive, will remain. The threat of the fire is not as great, but hazard trees remain a real concern. Trees are hazardous because their root systems have been burned, allowing them to fall at any time. Fire crews are mopping up and clearing hazardous trees in a 50-foot area around homes that remain in the evacuated area. Firefighters are also clearing trees that can fall, blocking driveways and roads. Progress will be reported daily in morning updates, but the area will remain evacuated until the entire 866-acre area is complete. The public needs to keep in mind that hazards will remain outside the 50-foot area around homes. Fire-weakened trees will still fall unexpectedly. Ash pits, places where stumps and roots have burned completely, leaving a hole full of possibly hot ash that is not immediately obvious, will still be a hazard. Toxic and hazardous materials where homes have been destroyed will remain until the site is cleared after fire operations are complete.
A community meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 23, at the Tok School gymnasium.
Categories: Active Wildland Fire, Alaska DNR - Division of Forestry & Fire Protection (DFFP)
Alaska Wildland Fire Information 