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The Bureau of Land Management Alaska Fire Service (AFS) located at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, provides wildland fire suppression services for over 244 million acres of Department of the Interior and Native Corporation Lands in Alaska. In addition, AFS has other statewide responsibilities that include: interpretation of fire management policy; oversight of the BLM Alaska Aviation program; fuels management projects; and operating and maintaining advanced communication and computer systems such as the Alaska Lightning Detection System. AFS also maintains a National Incident Support Cache with a $10 million inventory. The Alaska Fire Service provides wildland fire suppression services for America’s “Last Frontier” on an interagency basis with the State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources, USDA Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Military in Alaska.
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BLM Alaska Fire Service seeks wildland firefighting crew and suppression module contract proposals
Deadline is Nov. 10 for potential contractors to submit proposals to provide wildland fire crews and fire suppression modules based in northern Alaska.
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Recruitment for 2026 rookie Alaska Smokejumper candidates is NOW OPEN!
The BLM Alaska Fire Service is looking for hard working, physically fit, intelligent and experienced wildland firefighters interested in becoming Alaska Smokejumpers. Job announcements open Sept. 29-Oct. 27, 2025 on USAJobs.gov for the 2026 fire season.
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Cookies, kin, community, and coordination: BLM AFS Galena Fire Station wraps up a season to remember
As the fire season comes to a close in Alaska, the BLM Alaska Fire Service has shut down its remote station in Galena. After a busy season supporting 71 wildfires in the Galena Zone – BLM AFS’s farthest west protection zone – almost all personnel have either returned to AFS headquarters in Fairbanks, are working on fires in the Lower 48, or have finished for the season.
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What triggered the wildfire surge across Interior Alaska around solstice?
More than 170 wildfires ignited across Interior Alaska between June 15 and 29 during the 2025 Alaska fire season, most sparked by lightning. Fueled by hot, dry weather and almost 83,000 lightning strikes near the summer solstice, several fires quickly threatened homes, disrupted highways, and triggered evacuations across vast distances.
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BLM AFS responds to increased fire activity
In response to a recent uptick in fire activity during a warm and dry weekend, BLM Alaska Fire Service smokejumpers mobilized to three active fires over the past two days, including two new lightning-caused starts. They are focused on protecting Alaska Native allotments and remote cabins at risk from increased fire behavior.
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Few staffed fires remain as firefighters demobilize across BLM AFS protection area
The number of staffed fires in the BLM Alaska Fire Service protection area continues to decline. Most fires are now in monitor status. Some are being allowed to fulfill their natural ecological role, while firefighters focus on protecting nearby sites of value, transporting unneeded equipment back to the BLM AFS Cache in Fairbanks, or completing administrative tasks.
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Conditions remain hot, dry in Yukon Flats while rain reduces activity across much of Alaska
Operations are winding down across much of Alaska as rain has reduced fire activity and the need for firefighting resources — except in eastern Alaska, where conditions remain hot and dry.
Twelve BLM Alaska Fire Service smokejumpers were mobilized Monday night to protect an Alaska Native allotment along the Sheenjek River from the Christian Fire (#255), burning about 50 miles north of Fort Yukon. The fire has burned approximately 52,400 acres within the Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge and remains active.
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BLM AFS fire updates: Dry conditions linger in northeastern Alaska
While fire season is winding down in much of Alaska, eastern regions remain hot and dry, keeping fire danger elevated. A load of BLM Alaska Fire Service smokejumpers is mobilizing Monday evening to protect an Alaska Native allotment from the Christian Fire (#255), about 50 miles north of Fort Yukon.
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BLM reduces fire closure for the western White Mountains National Recreation Area
BLM Eastern Interior Field Office has reduced the fire closure area in the western White Mountains National Recreation Area. Effective immediately, public access is reopened to a one-mile area around the Wickersham Dome Trailhead near mile 127.7 of the Elliott Highway. Beginning Aug. 1, access to Lee’s and Moose Creek cabins and Wickersham Dome will also reopen. A reduced closure area remains in effect for public and firefighter safety due to ongoing activity from the Obrien Fire (#172).
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Aviation resources prove critical to monitoring and operational planning on fires in northeastern Alaska
A detection flight yesterday flew several fires in the Alaska Fire Service (AFS) Upper Yukon Zone, which covers northeastern Alaska, to monitor fire behavior and activity. Daily helicopter reconnaissance flights on the Ptarmigan Complex fires are also helping firefighters determine future work and resource needs based on fire behavior.
Alaska Wildland Fire Information 