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.

BLM Alaska Fire Service announcement states that the evacuation is lifted for the Elephant Fire (#225) on July 17, 2025.

Evacuation status lifted for Elephant Fire (#225)

By on

The Level 1 “Ready” evacuation status due to the Elephant Fire (#225) for Eureka and residences along the Eureka-Rampart Trail has been removed. The affected area includes the Eureka Road beginning at Milepost 130 of the Elliott Highway, extending north to the Eureka-Rampart Trail. It also includes the community of Eureka and stretches north past a cluster of structures near Granite Creek. Fire managers believe the current conditions of the fire no longer warrant the evacuation status.

The inside of an aircraft cockpit with various gauges and reading instruments as it flies above vast green vegetation. A sliver of gray river can be seen in the photo background and the sky is overcast.

Work continues on the Turtle Fire as backhaul operations begin on the Ptarmigan Complex

By on

The weather area forecast for the Ptarmigan Complex continues to call for scattered moisture, cooler temperatures, and potential thunderstorms over the next few days. Fire activity across the complex yesterday was minimal, with creeping and smoldering observed.  As more of the fires in the complex transition to monitor status and no heat is detected, backhaul operations are beginning with pumps and hose being removed from fires where the threat is no longer perceived.

Image shows a map of the 73,085-acre Roundabout Complex for July 15, 2025. Map is mostly green with pink areas identifying individual fires. The Caribou Fire is in the northeast. The Moldy and Richards Fires are in the southwest. The Billy Hawk and Billy Hawk 2 Fires are in the northwest. The Moldy Fire is the largest on the map, at 72,431 acres.

Welcome rain stalls growth on the Roundabout Complex

By on

The Moldy Fire (#279) remains the only active fire within the Roundabout Complex, now totaling 73,085 acres. Rain fell overnight and continues this morning. Firefighters have continued success with point protection measures, such as with Huslia’s microwave communications tower. No changes to evacuation levels and no firefighter injuries or accidents were reported.

An aerial view of a landscape effected by fire. A braided river, Birch Creek, flows through the center of the image, to the right of the burnt area. A small plume of smoke rises from an area on the fire side of the creek, close to the water. On the far side of Birch Creek, the timber is unburnt and green. Clouds cover the sky.

Crews transition on Ptarmigan Complex, thunderstorms bring wind and light precipitation

By on

The weather area forecast for the Ptarmigan Complex continues to call for scattered moisture, cooler temperatures, and potential thunderstorms over the next few days. Fire activity across the complex yesterday was minimal with the increased activity occurring on the Buckley Bar Fire and the southern end of the Turtle Fire after a series of thunderstorms brought strong winds to the complex in the early evening. 

Image shows firefighters unloading their gear off of three boats that were used to shuttle equipment and boats from Rampart across the Yukon River to the Lush Fire (#199).

Weather conditions aid firefighters on the Lush and Elephant Fires

By on

The Elephant Fire (#225) located approximately 5 miles north of the Eureka Highway, showed minimal fire activity again yesterday. There was creeping and smoldering observed within the fire perimeter. The total fire acreage remains at 8,941 acres. Yesterday, the fire received a couple hours of precipitation.  Scattered storms are anticipated today along with gusty southwesterly winds.