Author Archives

• Chalkyitsik Complex: Monday evening video update

  By Alaska Fire PIOs on July 30, 2019

  While Fairbanks and large areas of Alaska have experienced rain over the past week, the Yukon Flats and Chalkyitsik remain hot and dry. Crews continue to work towards the goal of securing line and the western perimeter between Chahalie Lake… Read More ›

• 100th crew from Lower 48 arrives in Fairbanks

  By Alaska Fire PIOs on July 29, 2019

  

  As blue-shirted ranks of firefighters stepped off a chartered jet and onto the tarmac of Fort Wainwright’s Ladd Army Airfield on Saturday evening, a 2019 milestone was reached for Alaska. Arrival of the five interagency handcrews from midwestern states marked… Read More ›

• Southwest Alaska Area Fire Information Update – July 29

  By Alaska Fire PIOs on July 29, 2019

  Warmer temperatures and sunny skies promoted a slight increase in fire behavior producing visible smoke from wildfires in southwest Alaska on Monday. There are currently 64 active fires in the Southwest Area according to the Division of Forestry office in… Read More ›

• Smoke Outlook 7/29-7/30; Air quality improving, but smoke not gone over central Interior

  By Alaska Fire PIOs on July 29, 2019

  While recent weather conditions have decreased smoke in most areas, warmer weather and persistent drought may cause an increase in fire activity over the next few days. Light haze may also develop over Juneau from fires in Canada, but air… Read More ›

• Tanana Zone staffing three fires, monitoring others

  By Alaska Fire PIOs on July 29, 2019

  The Tanana Zone has a number of fires currently in monitor status, with crews also staffing three active wildfires: Buster Creek, Little Creek and Grouse fires. Rain and higher humidities have allowed crews to make significant progress in securing all… Read More ›

• Chalkyitsik Complex: “hot and dry”, minimal growth

  By Alaska Fire PIOs on July 29, 2019

  While Fairbanks experienced rain on Sunday, fire crews working in Chalkyitsik experienced “hot and dry weather”, said Chalkyitsik Plans Chief, Mike Butteri. Crews continue to secure line and the western perimeter between Chahalie Lake and Ohtig Lake and complete firing… Read More ›

• Aerial Fireline Video: Remote cabin on Native allotment saved on the Draanjik River

  By Alaska Fire PIOs on July 29, 2019

  This video from July 21 shows how the hard work completed by smokejumpers saved a cabin on a Native allotment on the Draanjik (Black)  River from the Bearnose and Frozen Calf fires in the Chalkyitsik Complex. Subscribe to the Chalkyitsik… Read More ›

• How do they to it? A closer look at the Incident Command System at the Mcgrath Fire Base

  By Alaska Fire PIOs on July 29, 2019

  The Laguna Fire of 1970 scorched more than 175,000 acres east of San Diego, California, killing 16 people and costing taxpayers $234 million. Resulting studies of the Laguna Fire and other catastrophic fires found that failures in communications and management… Read More ›

• Southwest Alaska Area Fire Information Update – July 28

  By Alaska Fire PIOs on July 28, 2019

  Isolated showers visited Southwest Alaska on Sunday and are expected to continue into next week. Several fires have recorded little to no rain. There are 64 active fires, and no new fires were reported. Five fires remain staffed to protect… Read More ›

• Fireline Video: Watch as Fire Crews Load “Backhaul” into a Support Airplane in Chalkyitsik, Alaska

  By Alaska Fire PIOs on July 28, 2019

  

  Subscribe to the Chalkyitsik Complex YouTube channel for instant notification of new fireline videos. https://bit.ly/2K5TW6h. When airplanes like the CASA C-212 Aviocar land at the Chalkyitsik airstrip in the remote and roadless area 50 miles east of Ft Yukon, there… Read More ›