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The U.S. Wildland Fire Service in Alaska (USWFS) is 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, USWFS 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. The U.S. Wildland Fire Service in Alaska provides wildland fire suppression services for America’s “Last Frontier” on an interagency basis with the State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry & Fire Protection, U.S. 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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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.
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Northern New Mexico IMT assumes command of the Roundabout Complex
The Northern New Mexico Incident Management Team assumed command of the Roundabout Complex yesterday and have established an Incident Command Post at the Jimmy Huntington School in Huslia. Fire managers are implementing a full suppression strategy of this 13,888-acre complex that prioritizes point protection around critical values.
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Ninetyeight Fire evacuation level downgraded to Level 1 “READY”; little heat found near structures
Thanks to the strong work of fire crews and cooperative weather conditions on the Ninetyeight Fire (#218), the Fairbanks North Star Borough is downgrading the Salcha River corridor (Upper, Middle and Lower Salcha River evacuation zones) to a Level 1 (READY) alert level.
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Smokejumpers, scoopers responding to Otter Fire northeast of Venetie
Smokejumpers and aircraft are responding to a new fire in the Upper Yukon Zone.
The Otter Fire (#344) is burning along Otter Creek about 50 miles northeast of Venetie and 40 miles south of Arctic Village in a full protection area. The fire is lightning caused and is estimated to be about 50 acres.
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Weather patterns have helped to moderate Lush Fire activity
Thursday, the Lush Fire (#199) received a light amount of scattered rain in the afternoon. Fire activity was minimal with creeping and smoldering. Scattered showers remain in the forecast through the next couple of days. More active fire behavior may… Read More ›
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Ptarmigan Complex receives additional firefighters, aircraft
The Ptarmigan Complex is staffed by 127 people following the arrival Thursday of 12 additional smokejumpers and the 11-person Big Sky Helitack crew from Montana. A Type 3 helicopter with Big Sky is assigned to the incident and an additional Type 3 helicopter and a Type 2 helicopter are available to assist the incident as needed.
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IMT to take command of Roundabout Complex near Huslia, Hogatze
The Northern New Mexico Incident Management Team is scheduled to take command of the Roundabout Complex tonight. Several of the positions on the incident management team have been filled by fire personnel from Alaska. The complex is made up of six lightning-caused wildfires near Huslia and Hogatze.
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No recent growth on the Ninetyeight Fire
The Ninetyeight Fire (#218), burning north of the Salcha River, has received sparse precipitation in the last 24 hours, and has not shown any growth in the past several days. There is not any significant smoke visible near the fire area as of today.
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Cooler, wetter weather continues to moderate fire behavior on the Lush Fire
On Wednesday, the Lush Fire (#199) received approximately 0.1-0.2” rain, which resulted in minimal fire behavior with creeping and smoldering. The cooler, wetter weather pattern in the upcoming couple days is anticipated to result in a continuing pattern of minimal… Read More ›
Alaska Wildland Fire Information 