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.
Starting as early as Monday, the BLM Alaska Fire Service North Star Fire Crew will burn piles of woody debris created to reduce the risk of wildfire on military training lands near Eielson Air Force Base. This effort is a collaboration between the BLM AFS and the U.S. Army Alaska. As conditions allow, the burning could continue through August.
Three Alaska wildland firefighting crews headed to the Lower 48 on Friday to assist with wildfire suppression efforts in the western United States. The three crews – the BLM Alaska Fire Service Midnight Sun and Chena interagency hotshot crews and… Read More ›
No injuries were reported after an aircraft incident during suppression efforts on a wildfire about 120 air miles north of Fairbanks Tuesday afternoon. The airplane was scooping out of an unnamed body of water about 2-3 miles north of the fire when the incident occurred.
BLM Alaska Fire Service smokejumpers are busy mopping up the Birch Creek Fire (#346) after they and assisting aircraft were able to catch the Birch Creek Fire at 15 acres Tuesday evening.
BLM Alaska Fire Service Smokejumpers responded to two fires in rural Alaska in the last few days, emphasizing dry conditions still exist in some areas despite the wet, cold weather present in other regions. The Richmond Fire (#338) burning 39 miles north of Bettles is suspected of being human caused. It’s a reminder that people still need to be careful that their outdoor activities don’t ignite a fire.
Smoke from the Sheenjek River Fire blanketed Fort Yukon Wednesday night. All three staffed fires in Alaska are located within the Yukon Flats. Click on link to learn more.
The BLM Alaska Fire Service Midnight Sun Hotshots are mobilizing to protect a Native allotment from the Sheenjek Fire (#296) burning about 46 miles north of Fort Yukon. While other fires throughout Alaska remain dormant, the Sheenjek Fire recently came to life and grew substantially over the past few days, causing smoke to drift into Venetie about 37 miles to the west.
Twelve smokejumpers and two water-scoopers were dispatched to take care of two lightning-caused fires Monday – one burning 25 miles north of Galena and the other 11 miles northwest of Venetie.
Firefighters continue to make progress and get close to containment of three staffed fires in the Yukon Flats. This will be the last update on these fires unless conditions significantly change.
An isolated storm cell moved over the Isom Creek Fire (#187) late Monday evening bringing strong, erratic winds and light rain. Firefighters reported the rain had little effect, but the winds pushed the fire to the east causing significant growth… Read More ›
