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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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Erratic winds push Isom Creek Fire growth to roughly 5,000 acres
An isolated storm cell moved over the Isom Creek Fire (#187) late Monday evening bringing strong, erratic winds and light rain. Firefighters reported the rain had little effect, but the winds pushed the fire to the east causing significant growth… Read More ›
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Isom Creek Fire grows significantly, crosses Dalton Highway
June 7, 2020 – The Isom Creek Fire (#187) grew exponentially Saturday evening and crossed the Dalton Highway south of the Yukon River crossing. Despite two days of an aggressive air attack on the fire in the form of water-scoopers,… Read More ›
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Crews, smokejumpers mobilize for two fires burning near Yukon River crossing
8 p.m., June 6 update The fire has impact and crossed the Dalton Highway between milepost 47-52 just south of the Yukon River crossing. The highway is open at this time. Use extreme caution when driving through this area due… Read More ›
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Firefighters, aircraft work on fire southeast of Dalton Highway Yukon River Crossing
Firefighters and multiple aircraft are busy Friday night trying to suppress the Isom Creek Fire (#187) burning southeast of the Yukon River Crossing on the Dalton Highway. Sixteen BLM Alaska Fire Service smokejumpers and multiple aircraft including two large and… Read More ›
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Lightning continues to ignite fires in Western Alaska
Lightning continues to sweep across Alaska and is blamed for leaving at least 57 new fires in its wake since Saturday. Most these new fires are in Western Alaska including the 15 new fires Wednesday in the BLM Alaska Fire… Read More ›
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Rain, higher humidity calms Clear Creek Fire burning south of Fairbanks
June 6, 2020 update – After receiving a significant amount of rain this week, the Clear Creek Fire (#128) burning in the Tanana Flats Training Area 9 miles south of Fairbanks exhibited no fire activity and very little smoke during two flights… Read More ›
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Lightning ignites at least 15 fires across Alaska this weekend
Firefighters and aircraft were are busy Sunday working on two lightning-caused fires burning within 25 miles of Unlakleet with more firefighters slated to joint the effort after lightning became a big factor in new fire starts in Alaska this weekend…. Read More ›
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Wildfire threat reduced on more than 68,000 acres of military training lands in Interior Alaska
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Smokejumpers respond to third human-caused fire west of Fort Yukon
Firefighters urge public to be careful outdoor activities don’t ignite a fire BLM Alaska Fire Service smokejumpers are working on the third human-caused fire found west of Fort Yukon in the past two weeks. In the case of the Yukon… Read More ›
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BLM issues fire restrictions for federal lands near Steese Highway NOAA Facility
FAIRBANKS, Alaska – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on May 14 issued a Fire Prevention Order prohibiting campfires, explosives and fireworks on federal lands in a fire-prone area of black spruce off of Gilmore Trail north of Fairbanks and north… Read More ›