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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 on the Lush Fire continue work to protect values at risk near Rampart
Areas of heat and visible smokes remain around the perimeter of the Lush Fire (#199) today. With the weather continuing into a warming and drying trend, more active fire behavior is anticipated.
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Firefighters advance suppression efforts on 14,206-acre Roundabout Complex ahead of drying trend
The Roundabout Complex is now 14,206 acres. Firefighters are making steady progress, continuing point protection around critical values at risk. With a warming and drying trend expected this week, crews are preparing for the potential of increased fire activity.
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Helicopter water drops cool hotspots on the Ninetyeight Fire
With higher temperatures and north and west winds, the Ninetyeight Fire (#218) saw slight increases in fire activity on Saturday, with some light torching on the southwest side.Helicopter bucket drops were used to cool hot spots near Mile 34, and crews with water pumps, hoses, and saws worked the area and headed west. Crews assessed fire line and continued to mop up hot spots. Crews are nearing completing of preparation work on Alaska Native allotments and are now doing additional mop up to bolster line depth.
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Firefighters continue to make progress on the Ptarmigan Complex
Firefighters assigned to the Ptarmigan Complex continued to make progress Saturday on the Turtle Fire (#243), Alligator Fire (#265), and Birch Fire (#256).
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Firefighters hold perimeters, prioritize protection as Roundabout Complex fires remain stable
Yesterday, the Northern New Mexico Incident Management Team successfully kept all active fires in the Roundabout Complex within their established perimeters, with the total acreage remaining steady at 13,888 acres. Firefighters continue to use a full suppression strategy, focusing on point protection around critical values at risk.
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Firefighters cut line around Otter Fire; aircraft dropping water to slow spread
Twenty smokejumpers and the Vale Helitack crew succeeded in cutting a saw line around the Otter Fire (#344) late Friday night. They had hoses around 50% of the fire perimeter, including the head, by Saturday afternoon.
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Firefighters continue progress on Tanana Zone fires
On Friday, the Lush Fire (#199) experienced minimal fire activity with smoldering and creeping. Some smoke showed on portions of the fire, and there is heat along the perimeter. Weather yesterday was partly to mostly sunny and there was no precipitation over the fire area. There is a small chance for scattered showers through the weekend. With the warming and drying trend over the next couple of days, more active fire behavior is anticipated.
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Additional crews arrive at Ninetyeight Fire
Additional crews arrived Friday from the lower 48 to work on the Ninetyeight Fire (#218) – the El Dorado Hotshots and the Grass Lake Wildland Fire Module. Though weather was sunny Friday with wind gusts up to 10 mph, no fire growth was observed.
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Thermal imaging used along fire perimeters in Ptarmigan Complex
Firefighters used a thermal camera on a late afternoon reconnaissance flight to look for any heat or hotspots near the perimeters of fires in the Ptarmigan Complex on Friday. Heat was found mostly in forested areas with a closed canopy. Minimal heat was observed in open areas and mostly calm, wispy smoke was seen.
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Smokejumpers, helitack crew and aircraft fighting Otter Fire
Twenty smokejumpers and four firefighters from a helitack crew are working to contain the Otter Fire (#344) northeast of Venetie with support from multiple aircraft.
Alaska Wildland Fire Information 