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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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Firefighters working on fire near Chistochina
Efforts are underway on the ground and in the air to contain a fire burning off of mile 36.5 Tok Cutoff near Chistochina. The Chistochina River Fire (#381) was reported by someone in the area at about 3 p.m. It… Read More ›
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Smokejumpers, water-scooping aircraft successfully contain fire north of Fort Yukon
Smokejumpers are mopping up the Shovun Lake Fire (#371) a day after they and four Fire Boss airplanes were able to contain the new fire burning north of Fort Yukon Saturday. The eight smokejumpers and four water-scooping airplanes were sent… Read More ›
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Smokejumpers, aircraft work on new fire north of Fort Yukon
Eight smokejumpers and five aircraft were busy Saturday night trying to suppress a new fire burning about 10 miles northwest of Fort Yukon. The Shovun Lake Fire (#371) was spotted shortly after 3 p.m. today by BLM Alaska Fire Service… Read More ›
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Smokejumpers continue to protect cabin from Nowitna Fire
Eight BLM Alaska Fire Service smokejumpers continue to work on protecting a cabin from the 57,781-acre Nowitna Fire (#336) – the only one of 55 active fires statewide that is staffed. The area received enough rain Tuesday night and Wednesday morning… Read More ›
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Number of staffed fires continues to dwindle
Northern Alaska continues to be the last holdout for the fire season in Alaska. While widespread rain is forecasted throughout the western third of the state in the next few days, a donut hole of dry conditions will continue in… Read More ›
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Smokejumpers work on old fire after it roars back to life
Activity on a 1-1/2 month old fire burning 48 miles southeast of Galena picked up recently, prompting BLM Alaska Fire Service officials to send 16 smokejumpers Wednesday to protect a cabin and Native allotments from the Khotol Fire (#183). A… Read More ›
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Northeastern Alaska continues to be the hot spot for wildfires
The northeastern and central parts of the state continue to be the hot spot for fires – both literately and figuratively. As of Thursday afternoon, there were six of the 84 active fires staffed. All of these fires fall within… Read More ›
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Northeastern Alaska continues to be active for wildfires
The north and central Interior continues to be the most active for wildfires with four of the five staffed fires in Alaska falling within this part of the state. Clouds and rain are forecasted to roll through the area this… Read More ›
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Fire activity picks up in northeastern Alaska
Fort Yukon and Chalkyitsik have been abuzz with activity as aircraft and firefighters move through the two villages in response to fires burning in the north and central Interior part of the state. Two helicopters and the water-scooping Fire Boss… Read More ›
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BLM AFS smokejumpers working on two Interior fires
BLM Alaska Fire Service smokejumpers are working on a pair of fires that are burning in Interior Alaska including a fire that originated in Canada. Smokejumpers are providing point protection for a Native allotment from the Campbell River Fire (#268)… Read More ›