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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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Aircraft, smokejumpers corral fire near Tolovana Hot Springs
The quick work by aircraft and smokejumpers was successful in corralling a small lightning-caused fire south of Tolovana Hot Spring late Friday night.
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Firefighters, aircraft respond to fire near Tolovana Hot Springs
Firefighters and aircraft worked on a new wildfire less than a mile southwest of Tolovana Hot Springs Friday night. The initial smoke report was relayed at 4:39 p.m. to the Alaska Division of Forestry. The DOF Fairbanks Area Forestry sent… Read More ›
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20-person firefighting crew added to battle Little Albert Creek Fire near Central
After a good day of work by firefighters and water-dropping aircraft, another crew will be added to help extinguish Little Albert Creek Fire burning about 5 miles west of Central. The eight smokejumpers on the fire are headed back to Fairbanks to rejoin the smokejumper pool available to quickly respond to new fires. Meanwhile, the 20-person Snake River Valley #12 Type 2 Initial Attack Crew from Oregon is enroute and will join the BLM Alaska Fire Service Chena Hotshots working to extinguish the fire.
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Fires south of Manley Hot Springs merge
The Dry Creek Fire and Zitziana River Fire burning south of Manley Hot Springs merged on Thursday and have burned an estimated 7,200 total acres. The fire is now considered the Dry Creek Fire (#195).
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Smokejumpers, hotshots and aircraft work on wildfire near Central
The combination of moderated weather, marshy terrain and work from eight smokejumpers and water-dropping aircraft Thursday helped subdue the Little Albert Creek Fire (#206) burning five miles west of Central. The fire was estimated at 350 acres and burning mostly in tussock tundra and brush.
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More firefighters to help with fires south of Manley
More firefighters are slated to arrive in Manley Hot Springs today to start working on the pair of lightning-caused fires burning about a quarter mile apart south of the Tanana River. One of the five firefighting hand crews arriving in… Read More ›
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Chena Hotshots to mobilize Thursday morning for new fire near Central
The BLM Alaska Fire Service Chena Hotshot Crew will mobilize Thursday morning for a new fire burning 7 miles west of Central. The Little Albert Creek Fire (#206) was estimated at 100 acres Wednesday evening and rapidly spreading through tundra and brush. The fire is not immediately threatening any structures or other sites of value. It is burning about two miles north of the Steese Highway at milepost 120.
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Firefighting resources stage in Manley in response to two large wildfires south of Tanana River
People in Manley Hot Springs will start to see additional firefighting resources in town as the BLM Alaska Fire Service starts to assess steps to protect a cabin and Native allotments from two fires burning south of the Tanana River. Neither the Dry Creek Fire (#195) or the nearby Zitziana River Fire (#197) were immediately threatening any known sites Tuesday.
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BLM AFS weighing options on pair of fires south of Tanana River 7 miles from Manley Hot Springs
The BLM Alaska Fire Service is weighing response options to a pair of active fires burning south of the Tanana River about 7 miles southeast of Manley Hot Spring. Smokejumpers initially ordered in response to the Dry Creek Fire (#195)… Read More ›
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Three lightning-caused fires burning east of the Dalton Highway
While checking out reports of smoke from motorists driving the Dalton Highway Sunday afternoon, BLM Alaska Fire Service personnel aboard an airplane found three lightning-caused fires burning to the east of the highway. The Kanuti River Fire (#185), the Arctic… Read More ›