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.
This will be the final update unless significant changes occur. Evacuations and Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR) on the Saint George Creek and Bear Creek Fires have been lifted. As of July 23, the fires have been transferred to a Type 4 Alaska Forestry Team lead by Incident Commander Andres Orozco. Fire information is now managed by the Alaska Division of Forestry: 907-356-5511. Email: akfireinfo@alaska.gov.
Firefighters on the Tlozhavun Fire have completely controlled and suppressed the 22-acre fire 10 miles south of Fort Yukon and will transition off the incident to support other firefighting efforts. Steady progress on Ptarmigan Complex fires continued Tuesday, including the removal of structure protection equipment because fire is no longer posing a threat to the cabin. Fire managers will continue to watch for and be ready to respond to new starts in northeastern Alaska as warmer, drier weather is expected in the coming days, particularly in the Yukon Flats.
Crews achieved 100% containment around the perimeter of the Tlozhavun Fire Monday, meaning firefighters have established a control line around the fire that should keep it from spreading. Firefighters working other fires in the BLM Alaska Fire Service (BLM AFS) Upper Yukon Zone, which covers northeastern Alaska, continue to make steady progress towards the objectives identified for each fire. Fire managers will continue to watch for and be ready to respond to new starts as the region continues to experience dry conditions.
The Northern New Mexico Incident Management Team support of Huslia went beyond wildfire response. When the town’s main water pump suffered a failure that wasn’t related to the fire, the team didn’t hesitate to help.
Crew continue extinguishing hotspots along the edge of existing fires in the BLM Alaska Fire Service (AFS) Upper Yukon Zone that covers the northeastern Alaska as fire managers keep a watchful eye toward new starts in the region. Two fires were discovered Sunday via remote sensing on the Artic National Wildlife Refuge. The Ripple Fire (#468) is approximately 2 acres in size, with creeping, backing, and isolated torching behavior observed. The Sheenjek Fire (#467) is approximately 7 acres in size with creeping, backing, and isolated torching behavior in white and black spruce observed. Both fires will be monitored by occasional BLM AFS flights over the area.
Cloudy, cooler weather with the potential for showers across the Upper Yukon Zone early in the week will help crews make progress towards their objectives.
Cool wet weather is expected through Tuesday and will aid the firefighters of the Goldrun Complex. The Goldrun Complex, located in the Kobuk Valley, consists of nine fires that continue to smolder and show little fire activity. Back hauling, the process of removing unused and unnecessary equipment, supplies, and trash has begun.
Scattered showers have begun and are expected to continue through Tuesday in the Kobuk Valley, where the nine fires of the Goldrun Complex continue to smolder and show little fire activity. The rain has aided crews as they continue to provide protection for Alaska Native allotments, structures and values at risk and begin mopping up the fires.
The Tlozhavun Fire (#448), located 10 miles south of Fort Yukon, remains at 21 acres and is now 80% contained. Crews are looking to achieve a 100-foot mop up today.
Today will be the last written update for the Ninetyeight Fire (#218) which remained in a creeping and smoldering pattern with some single tree torching. Yesterday crews continued progression of the fireline along the south and southwest corner. Completion of objectives (keep fire north of Salcha river) remains at 54% and acreage at 15,677.
The Tlozhavun Fire (#448), located 10 miles south of Fort Yukon, remains at 21 acres, is now 70% contained, and crews have completed 50-foot mop up operations while advancing toward a 100-foot mop up depth under continued full suppression.
Alaska Wildland Fire Information 