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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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Firefighters prepare for tactical shift across Roundabout Complex as forecasted conditions favor direct attack
Crews are beginning to pivot tactics on key fires across the 14,302-acre Roundabout Complex, as weather conditions shift this week. While some areas remain in monitor status, active fires are seeing continued prep, securing, and mop-up operations. A period of drying followed by light precipitation is improving access and revealing fuels, creating opportunities to adjust strategies where conditions allow.
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Firefighters on the Lush Fire continue making progress protecting Rampart
The Lush Fire (#199) is located one mile northwest of Rampart, just across the Yukon River. The fire behavior yesterday was creeping and smoldering with isolated torching. The weather forecast calls for increasing temperatures through the week which will likely cause an increase in fire behavior. There is no chance for precipitation in the upcoming forecast.
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Minimal fire behavior observed on the Ninetyeight Fire
Yesterday the Ninetyeight Fire (#218) received light precipitation and showed limited fire activity; creeping and smoldering, but no torching. Helicopter bucket drops were again used to cool hotspots on the southwest corner of the fire. The eastern front of the fire is looking good, without much fire activity. The fire perimeter is approximately 5,028 acres in size.
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Ptarmigan Complex firefighters continue to prepare for Red Flag conditions
The National Weather Service in Fairbanks has issued a Red Flag Warning for Wednesday due to a forecast that calls for hot, dry weather and windy conditions. In preparation, firefighters assigned to the Ptarmigan Complex worked over the past several days to reinforce saw lines and improve protection for Alaska Native allotments and other values at risk.
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Otter Fire contained, not controlled; Fortymile Fire gets hotshot crew
The Otter Fire (#344) about 50 miles northeast of Venetie is fully contained but not controlled. A dozen smokejumpers also continue to fight the Fortymile Fire (#355) near Fortymile Creek about 25 miles northwest of Beaver.
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Roundabout Complex firefighters complete key objectives and shift to priority areas as drying trend approaches
Firefighters are making steady progress across the Roundabout Complex, with several crews completing key suppression objectives and being repositioned to priority areas. With a warming and drying trend on the horizon, fire managers continue to adapt strategies to stay ahead of changing conditions and protect values at risk.
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Crews continue making progress on Ninetyeight Fire
On Sunday, helicopter bucket work continued on the north side of the Ninetyeight Fire (#218) to cool hotspots where fire behavior was active, including the northeast side where fire was backing towards the north in one section with creeping, smoldering, and some torching in the hills of military land to the north. Heat was observed in pockets but was not continuous. Fire behavior was not very active on the southern side.
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Increased fire activity possible for Ptarmigan Complex due to hot, dry weather
Firefighters put in hard work preparing lines and extinguishing hotspots around the Ptarmigan Complex over the past few days, taking advantage of the cooler, wetter weather. A warming, drying trend is forecast for the next five days. This brings the potential for thunderstorms with lightning and drier fuels that are more receptive to fire.
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Firefighters reach 90% containment on Otter Fire 50 miles northeast of Venetie
The Otter Fire (#344) was 90% contained Sunday night with no growth in acreage reported following two days of solid work in rugged terrain by 20 smokejumpers, a helitack crew, and the air crews of multiple firefighting aircraft.
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20 smokejumpers, 8 scoopers respond to 2 fires in Tanana, Upper Yukon zones
Twenty smokejumpers supported by eight water scooper planes are working Sunday night to contain two new fires – one in the Tanana Zone and one in the Upper Yukon Zone.
Alaska Wildland Fire Information 