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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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BLM AFS Smokejumpers mobilized Tuesday to fire near Kiana
BLM Alaska Fire Service smokejumpers responded to a wildfire Tuesday that that appeared to ignite on a Native allotment on the Kobuk River east of Kiana in northwestern Alaska. The Deviation Fire (#126) rapidly consumed a mixture of tundra and… Read More ›
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Weather moderates McDonald Fire growth
Rain fell on much of the McDonald Fire area Monday night, with more predicted, giving firefighters time to prepare cabin sites along 5 Mile Creek in case hot, windy, and dry conditions return. Firefighters started clearing brush from around structures and getting sprinkler systems set in place in case the estimated 28,800-acre fire makes another push south toward the cabins south of the fire.
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Water scoopers, more firefighters mobilizing to protect cabins from McDonald Fire southeast of Fairbanks
BLM Alaska Fire Service Smokejumpers and water scoopers mobilized Monday afternoon to protect a group of cabins threatened as the McDonald Fire continues to grow despite moderated conditions. The fire is estimated at about 24,000 acres.
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Hot, dry conditions push McDonald Fire to an estimated 8,000 acres
The McDonald Fire (#119) burning 31 miles south of Fairbanks was active Sunday, growing to an estimated 8,000 acres thanks to hot, dry and windy conditions. While the winds diminished since Saturday, the warmer temperatures helped push the fire out from both flanks as it burned through stringers of black spruce.
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Thick smoke plume seen from fire burning in a remote corner of military training range south of Fairbanks
he smoke from the McDonald Fire (#119) will likely be very visible for the upcoming days due to the continued dry, hot conditions.
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BLM AFS firefighters working on small fire north of Beaver
Smokejumpers and the North Star Fire Crew are working on a small fire burning about 11 miles north of Beaver. The Ed Berg Slough Fire (#111) was reported by a commercial pilot Wednesday afternoon.
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BLM AFS monitoring large tundra fire in Western Alaska
BLM Alaska Fire Service officials are keeping an eye on a large tundra fire burning in a remote part of Western Alaska. The Atchuelinguk Fire (#090) is burning in the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge approximately 33 miles north of… Read More ›
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Leading Alaska’s firefighting efforts: prepare now for the fire season ahead
Alaskans saw what happened in Canada last year, and they know it can happen here too. They recognize we need to prevent and prepare for wildfires across the state – from the time the snow melts until it falls again.
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BLM issues fire restrictions to protect properties and residences north of Fairbanks
The BLM Fairbanks District Office issued a fire prevention order prohibiting campfires, fireworks and explosives on federal lands in a fire-prone area of black spruce near Fox, Alaska and the NOAA facility site on the Steese Highway. The order begins on May 1.
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Burning operations planned on Donnelly Training Area to reduce wildfire threat near Delta Junction
FAIRBANKS, ALASKA – Starting as early as Sunday, April 14, the Bureau of Land Management Alaska Fire Service (BLM AFS), in coordination with the U.S. Army Garrison Alaska, will implement prescribed fires in the Donnelly Training Area. The prescribed burning may continue through May 1,… Read More ›
Alaska Wildland Fire Information 