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.
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.
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.
Recent moisture over the fire area has kept fire activity at a low and firefighters have increased completion to 48%. Crews reported a trace of rain over the fire yesterday afternoon. Fire behavior for the Ninetyeight Fire (#218) was listed as creeping and smoldering. A recent Infrared (IR) flight showed limited heat throughout the fire area; the hottest spots were observed on the west and southwest sides.
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.
A new wildfire, the Tlozhavun (#448) was discovered 10 miles south of Fort Yukon by an Alaska Fire Service detection flight just before 9.m. on July 13.
There was minimal fire activity present yesterday across the complex, with observed fire behavior consisting of creeping and smoldering, including isolated single tree torching on the Turtle (#243). The weather area forecast for the Ptarmigan Complex calls for scattered moisture, cooler temperatures, and potential thunderstorms over the next few days.
The Elephant and Lush fires continued to show minimal activity throughout the day yesterday. Firefighters remained focused on protecting values at risk.
The Ninetyeight Fire (#218) continues to challenge crews with warm, dry weather conditions that have led to moderate fire behavior. Over the weekend, fire activity slightly increased, with creeping and smoldering observed along the southern edge, while single-tree torching occurred in the north.
The Moldy Fire (#279) remains the only active fire within the Roundabout Complex, now totaling 73,185 acres. Extreme fire behavior on both the north and south ends of the fire resulted in an increase of about 10,000 acres yesterday. No changes to evacuation levels and no firefighter injuries or accidents were reported.
As a result of new thermal imaging and improved mapping, the Ptarmigan Complex total fire acreage increased to 49,508 acres. The acreage for the largest fire, the Turtle (#242) is 34,903. The Ikheenjik Fire (#243) is being included as part of the Turtle Fire for management and acreage. There was minimal fire activity present yesterday across the complex, with the observed fire behavior consisting of flanking, creeping, and smoldering. The warming and drying trend for the weekend may still lead to an increase in fire activity and smoke.
Alaska Wildland Fire Information 