Home › Active Wildland Fire › Mukluk Fire reaches 70% containment as firefighters work hotspots near Midnight Sun Drive

Mukluk Fire reaches 70% containment as firefighters work hotspots near Midnight Sun Drive

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  • Acres: 7,339
  • Containment: 70%
  • Location: Tok, Alaska
  • Start Date: Aug. 17, 2026
  • Fuels: Black Spruce, Shrubs, Grass
  • Personnel: 31
Members of the TCC crew gather in two rows in a forested area affected by the Mukluk Fire.
Members of the TCC crew gather for a crew photo during suppression repair on the Mukluk Fire. Photo/ Katherine Bollen

Firefighters extinguished a long-smoldering hotspot near a home on Midnight Sun Drive Friday morning. An engine and members of the Tanana Chiefs Conference Type 2 Initial Attack Crew responded after smoke was observed coming from a berm of soil, logs and vegetation.

Heat remained in a large log buried inside the berm and continued to smolder beneath the surface. After several weeks, smoke became visible at multiple locations along the berm. Firefighters removed and cut apart the logs, applied water and cleared an area approximately 10 feet wide, 30 feet long and 4 feet deep to extinguish the remaining heat.

Four TCC crew members use hand tools to dig along a berm in a burned forest.
Members of the TCC crew work along the berm, digging through soil and woody debris to locate additional heat and smoldering material. Photo DFFP

Pockets of heat may continue to appear as fall progresses. Rain and cooler temperatures can reduce surface fire activity but may not reach heat buried deep within logs, roots or berms. If you see fire or smoke, call 911 so firefighters can investigate and extinguish the heat before it has an opportunity to spread. Do not call the local forestry office to report a fire.

The TCC crew continued suppression repair Friday. Working alongside Resource Advisors, and excavators, firefighters moved along dozer lines and pulled displaced soil, brush and vegetation back across areas cleared by dozers during active suppression. This work helps rehabilitate areas that were disturbed while firefighters were constructing containment lines.

An excavator works beside a dozer constructed containment line surrounded by cleared trees and vegetation.
An excavator pulls dirt and vegetation over a turnout near a containment line constructed by a dozer during active suppression of the Mukluk Fire. Photo by Drew Anderson

Recent wind and rain have further weakened burned and charred trees throughout the fire area. Many have little to no root support remaining and may fall without warning. One falling tree can also knock down surrounding trees.

Fire managers continue to urge hunters and residents to remain outside the fire perimeter, particularly north of Red Fox Drive and near the uncontained northern edge. Falling trees, ash pits, unstable ground and lingering hotspots remain hazards. Staying out of the area also gives firefighters and equipment room to safely complete work along roads and dozer lines north of Red Fox Drive.

Map of Mukluk Fire perimeter (#487) Located in Tok. Click Image for PDF

Weather & Fire Behavior: Cooler weather and rain are forecast Saturday, with temperatures reaching the mid-50s. Winds around 10 mph are expected to become light during the day. Sunday should be mostly dry, partly cloudy and high temperatures in the mid-50s. Overnight temperatures may fall to around 30 degrees. Rain will help cool exposed fuels, but heat buried deep within logs, roots and berms may remain.

Fire season remains in effect in the Delta, Tok and Copper River protection areas through 11:59 p.m. Monday, September 14. Burn permits are still required, and anyone planning to burn must confirm that burning is allowed before beginning. Check permit status at https://forestry.alaska.gov/burn/.

Mukluk Fire Information:
Information Line: (907) 505-0362 – Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Email: 2026.Mukluk@firenet.gov

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

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