Author Archives
Alaska Division of Forestry website: http://forestry.alaska.gov/
Mission:
The Alaska Division of Forestry proudly serves Alaskans through forest management and wildland fire protection.
The Wildland Fire and Aviation Program provides safe, cost-effective and efficient fire protection services and related fire and aviation management activities to protect human life and values on State, private and municipal lands. The wildland fire program cooperates with other wildland fire agencies on a statewide, interagency basis.
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Aerial Firefighting Training Simulation today Over Wishbone Hill above Sutton: Advisory to General Aviation Aircraft
General aviation aircraft and the public may observe up to five aerial firefighting aircraft simultaneously training over Wishbone Hill above the Jonesville Mine/Sutton between 11:00 and 5:00 pm today. There will be no wildfire on the landscape during the training…. Read More ›
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Air Tanker Drop at Great Alaska Aviation Gathering May 8th Kicks off Wildland Fire Prevention & Preparedness Week
Attendees of the Great Alaska Aviation Gathering this weekend in Palmer will witness one of the most powerful initial attack resources in Alaska’s wildland firefighting arsenal on full display. Weather and new wildfire starts permitting, the Conair air tanker is… Read More ›
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Prescribed Fire in Palmer Provides Opportunity for Teamwork & Training
A pre-planned burn of available fuels under a controlled environment was successfully completed at the Kenny and Patti Barber Shooting Range located on Maud Road on Wednesday, April 20th, 2022. The grasses and brush that often surround these types of… Read More ›
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Takotna and McGrath Fuel Break Project Funded with Work to Begin This Summer by Fire Crews
Just over a year ago on June 13th, a small 2-3 acre fire burning in black spruce was reported near the Kuskokwim River just six miles south of McGrath, Alaska. What became known as the About Mountain Fire grew substantially… Read More ›
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True Survival Story: Firewise & Fuel Breaks Helped Save Alaskans During Fast Moving McKinley Fire 2019
Alaskan wildfire survivor Pete Petram describes the terrifying moments he and his wife Sandy spent as flames crossed Hidden Hills Road while evacuating the explosive 2019 McKinley Fire. “Sandy could feel the heat through the door as we drove through… Read More ›
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Narrated Aerial Surveillance Flight + Infrared Footage of Kwethluk Fire April 26, 2022
A flyover video narrated by DOF’s mapping specialist Matt Snyder yesterday for the #KwethlukFire includes infrared footage and a detailed description of how the fire burned, where it tried to go and where it was held by natural barriers. Monitoring… Read More ›
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Natural Barriers and Weather Change Halt Kwethluk Fire (#012) Remains in Monitor Status at 10,302 acres
Forward movement has been halted for the early season Kwethluk Fire. Burning in tundra, grasses and brush since Saturday April 16th, the wind driven wildfire has been finding sun dried fuels in the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge. Originally reported… Read More ›
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Kwethluk Fire (#012): 5th Observation Flight Predicts 9,693 acre Fire Running Out of Fuel and Into Natural Barriers
Friday afternoon at 4:15pm, DOF’s aerial mapping specialist Matt Snyder took his fifth observation flight of the now 9,693 acre Kwethluk Fire (fire #012) burning in the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge. Snyder, based at the DOF station in McGrath, has… Read More ›
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Kwethluk Fire (#012) Grows to 7,000 acres in dry Tundra with No Risk to Native Allotments
DOF’s surveillance and mapping flight yesterday confirmed that the Kwethluk Fire (fire #012), burning in the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge 25 miles east southeast of Kwethluk, continues to grow. Fire mapping specialist Matt Snyder compared the data he collected… Read More ›
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Proposed 6.2 Mile Fuel Break North of Houston & Meadow Lakes Public Comments Due April 25th
Protecting the communities of Meadow Lakes and Houston from continuous fire prone fuels has long been a shared goal between the local communities and the Division of Forestry. Public comments for this two phase multi year 6.2 mile fuel break… Read More ›