Home › Active Wildland Fire › Updated structure assessment confirms 50 homes destroyed in Mukluk Fire

Updated structure assessment confirms 50 homes destroyed in Mukluk Fire

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A firefighter tosses a spruce branch into a burning pile of woody debris while another firefighter watches. Both are wearing protective gear.
Central Mat-Su Fire Department firefighters burn piles of unsalvageable created during the removal of fire-weakened trees and brush. Photo taken on Aug. 29, 2026 by J. Hale/AKCIMT
  • Acres: 7,335 
  • Containment: 29% 
  • Location: Tok, AK 
  • Start Date: Aug. 17, 2026 
  • Fuels: Black Spruce, Shrubs, Grass 
  • Personnel:  261 

A small task force of firefighters spent the past several days conducting an assessment of structure loss. It has been determined that 50 single residences have been destroyed, as well as 108 outbuildings, garages, sheds, workshops, or other miscellaneous secondary structures.  

Personnel assigned to the Mukluk Fire continue to decrease as firefighters work to retrieve equipment from the field. Some of the gear must be accessed by boat or helicopter in remote sections of the fire area. This includes gathering hoses, pumps, and other equipment; cleaning, sorting, and packaging it for transport back to fire warehouses. Once returned, it will be cleaned, repaired, and refurbished so it’s ready for future assignments. Crews, engines, and heavy equipment remain on the incident improving containment lines in Tok and burning woody debris piles created during the removal of fire‑weakened trees and brush. 

It’s important for anyone in or near the fire area to stay alert to potential hazards and steer clear of working firefighters. 

The Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection’s Gannet Glacier Fire Crew is being released from the incident and will travel to the Lower 48. The Nulato Hills Type 2 Contract Crew, with firefighters from Selawik and Nulato, is also demobilizing on Sunday. 

People in the fire-impacted area are urged to avoid any hazardous materials that may remain in the debris. Burned structures, vehicles, and other debris can leave behind ash, sharp metal, chemicals, and other dangerous substances that should not be handled without proper protective equipment. Protect yourself by wearing sturdy footwear, gloves, long sleeves and long pants, eye protection, and respiratory protection such as an N-95 mask as appropriate when working around ash, debris, and damaged materials. 

The Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management is working with the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation Solid Waste Program to develop a plan to support property owners as they clean-up fire damaged and destroyed items. 

The Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection (DFFP) is extending fire season in the Delta, Tok and Copper River protection areas due to continued dry conditions and an increased risk of wildland fire. The extension begins Tuesday, Sept. 1, and continues through 11:59 p.m. Monday, Sept. 14.  

Weather & Fire Behavior:  The fire area received only 0.05 inch of rain on Saturday and saw northwest wind gusts up to 30 mph. Conditions improve on Sunday with sunny, warm weather and light winds, giving firefighters a favorable window for progress before colder, blustery weather arrives on Monday. Higher humidity, shorter daylight hours, and the shift toward fall-like conditions should help keep the fire within its current footprint. 

Mukluk Fire Information: 

Download a PDF version of the update.

Map of fire perimeter in red with the black containment line along the southern perimeter.
This map shows the perimeter of the Mukluk Fire as well as the evacuation zone. Click on the image to download the PDF file.
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Categories: Active Wildland Fire, AK Fire Info, Alaska DNR - Division of Forestry & Fire Protection (DFFP)

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