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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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Type 3 incident management team takes command of Ninetyeight Fire
This morning, a Type 3 Incident Management Team took command of the Ninetyeight Fire (#218), which is burning north of the Salcha River.
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Cooler, wetter weather patterns help to moderate fires in the Tanana Zone
Tuesday, the Lush Fire (#199) experienced minimal fire behavior with backing and creeping fire and occasional tree torching. This fire behavior is expected to continue over the next day as a cooler, wetter weather pattern is in the area.
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Overnight storms bring more rain to Ptarmigan Complex fires
The fires that make up the Ptarmigan Complex near Central and Circle received wetting rain from thunderstorms that passed through the area overnight. A quarter inch of rain was recorded at the portable weather station firefighters set up east of Central.
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Hotshot crew arrives, IMT ordered for Roundabout Complex near Huslia
The Plumas Hotshots arrived in Western Alaska on Tuesday to join the eight smokejumpers who have been working on the Richards Fire (#251), located about nine miles west of Huslia.
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Ninetyeight Fire receives rain; Smokejumpers continue to make progress
The Ninetyeight Fire (#218), which is burning north of the Salcha River, received wetting rain Monday, and the fire showed decreased activity overall. Rain will likely continue on and off for the next few days.
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Firefighters continue work on the Lush Fire and others in the Tanana Zone
On Monday, the Lush Fire (#199) experienced limited fire perimeter growth with moderate fire behavior and isolated tree torching on the interior of the perimeter. Isolated areas of the fire received approximately 0.3” of rain yesterday.
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More rain, thunderstorms expected over Ptarmigan Complex fires
The fires that make up the Ptarmigan Complex near Central and Circle experienced wetting rain and thunderstorms overnight. More rain and thunderstorms are expected today. This will impact helicopter flights and some operations.
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Cooler weather, rain help firefighters working on western Alaska fires
The arrival of precipitation, coupled with continued cooler temperatures, helped firefighters working in Western Alaska on Monday.
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BLM announces emergency fire closure of Lower Birch Creek Wayside near Central
To protect the public and provide for firefighter safety in light of ongoing wildland fire activity associated with the Turtle Fire (#243), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Eastern Interior Field Office announced the closure Monday night of the Lower Birch Creek Wayside near Mile 140 of the Steese Highway.
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Firefighters make progress on 3 fires in the Tanana Zone
Firefighters assigned to the Lush Fire (#199) continue working to protect structures and allotments on the north side of the Yukon River across from the community of Rampart, as the weather shifts to a cooler, wetter trend over the next few days.
Alaska Wildland Fire Information 