Yesterday afternoon as persistent sunshine continues to dry out Alaska, several new fire starts required initial attack. Jump ship 90 deployed six smokejumpers to the Walrus Islands Fire (#096). This is a group of islands located in the Bering Sea… Read More ›
BLM Alaska Fire Service
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.
Alaskans should prepare for wildfire season
Advice from Alaska Wildland Fire Managers reminding people of key ways to protect each other and our communities from wildfire dangers.
Smokejumpers mopping up wildfire after first jump of the 2022 Alaska fire season
Six BLM Alaska Fire Service Smokejumpers are mopping up a 4.6-acre fire that started near at Pitkas Point about 4 miles of southwest St. Mary’s after the first fire jump of the 2022 Alaska fire season for smokejumpers.
Narrated Aerial Surveillance Flight + Infrared Footage of Kwethluk Fire April 26, 2022
A flyover video narrated by DOF’s mapping specialist Matt Snyder yesterday for the #KwethlukFire includes infrared footage and a detailed description of how the fire burned, where it tried to go and where it was held by natural barriers. Monitoring… Read More ›
Natural Barriers and Weather Change Halt Kwethluk Fire (#012) Remains in Monitor Status at 10,302 acres
Forward movement has been halted for the early season Kwethluk Fire. Burning in tundra, grasses and brush since Saturday April 16th, the wind driven wildfire has been finding sun dried fuels in the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge. Originally reported… Read More ›
Burning operations planned for military training lands in Interior Alaska to reduce wildfire threat
BLM Alaska Fire Service and U.S. Army Alaska to conduct prescribed burning on military training lands near Delta Junction, Eielson Air Force Base and Fort Wainwright to reduce wildfire threat. Burning could start as early as May 1 and last through May 31.
Kwethluk Fire (#012): 5th Observation Flight Predicts 9,693 acre Fire Running Out of Fuel and Into Natural Barriers
Friday afternoon at 4:15pm, DOF’s aerial mapping specialist Matt Snyder took his fifth observation flight of the now 9,693 acre Kwethluk Fire (fire #012) burning in the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge. Snyder, based at the DOF station in McGrath, has… Read More ›
Kwethluk Fire (#012) Grows to 7,000 acres in dry Tundra with No Risk to Native Allotments
DOF’s surveillance and mapping flight yesterday confirmed that the Kwethluk Fire (fire #012), burning in the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge 25 miles east southeast of Kwethluk, continues to grow. Fire mapping specialist Matt Snyder compared the data he collected… Read More ›
Narrated Flyover Aerial Video of the 4,048 acre Kwethluk Fire (#012) Burning in Dry Tundra & Grass
Watch this flyover of the remote Kwethluk Fire (#012) narrated by mapping specialist and DOF’s Southwest Area Aviation Foreman Matt Snyder. This four plus minute video was recorded yesterday with the fire estimated to be over 4,048 acres and growing… Read More ›
Early Season Remote Fire in Tundra and Grass Doubles to 4,048 acres – Kwethluk Fire #012
The remote #KwethlukFire has doubled in size to 4,048 acres, according to DOF Southwest Area Aviation Foreman and mapping specialist Matt Snyder. The third surveillance flight since Saturday occurred this afternoon with Snyder continuing the process of mapping and documenting… Read More ›