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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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From the Last Frontier to the Land Down Under
Alaskan tapped as liaison during firefighting efforts in Australia After two days of travel from the northern hemisphere to the land down under, BLM Alaska Fire Service Associate Manager Kyle Cowan arrived in Sydney where he’ll be the be a… Read More ›
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Fire season may end, but work continues for BLM AFS Cache
Warehouse preparing equipment for use on future fires This summer, more than 606 miles of hose was used on fires throughout Alaska. That’s more than the distance between Fairbanks and Homer (580 miles). All that hose needs to be cleaned,… Read More ›
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Alaska Fire Medic program: Taking care of firefighters in the field
Wildland firefighters face all kinds of hazards during fire season. When firefighters fall ill or get injured, getting them needed medical care is not a matter of simply calling 911. The nearest hospital is often a 300-mile flight away, pushing… Read More ›
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Life in a remote Alaska fire camp
While fire camps in rural Alaska can be similar to remote fires in the Lower 48, they have their own special concerns and qualities. Morning operational briefings are broadcasted over hand-held radios. Every one gathers underneath at big yellow tarp… Read More ›
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BLM AFS, USARAK to burn debris piles on Interior Alaska training lands
The Bureau of Land Management Alaska Fire Service (BLM AFS), in cooperation with the U.S. Army Alaska (USARAK), will burn piles of woody debris on military training lands in Interior Alaska starting as early as this Saturday. Burning operations for… Read More ›
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Smokejumpers, Chena Hotshots working on late season fire near the Yukon River Crossing
The Chena Hotshots are mopping up a 7-acre fire that started Friday near the Yukon River crossing on the Dalton Highway about 80 miles north of Fairbanks. Smokejumpers responded to Fire #811, the Smoothface Mountain Fire, after it was reported… Read More ›
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Smokejumpers respond to contain spot fire from Chandalar River Fire near Venetie
Sept. 6, 2019 Four smokejumpers quickly responded Friday afternoon to contain a small fire that spotted across a control line protecting a Native allotment from the long-burning Chandalar River Fire west of Venetie. Smokejumpers anticipate containing the 30-by-30 foot fire… Read More ›
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Sign up for Nixle emergency alerts
If you’ve not yet subscribed to receive Nixle texts and emails alerting you to issues of immediate public concern such as evacuations and highway closures, we encourage you to do so. Nixle is utilized by emergency service organizations for communicating… Read More ›
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Levelock Fire estimated at 250-300 acres
7 p.m. Levelock Fire Update Smokejumpers, aided by villagers operating bulldozers, are still working to keep a fire from reaching the Bristol Bay area village of Levelock Monday afternoon. Firefighting personnel aboard the plane that delivered the smokejumpers had a… Read More ›
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Smokejumpers working on fire near Levelock
Alaska smokejumpers are working on a fire burning west of the Bristol Bay area village of Levelock. Residents reported the fire burning north of the village shortly after midnight Monday. Because all resources were already assigned to fires or were… Read More ›
Alaska Wildland Fire Information 