Big Fire – Alaska Wildland Fire Information

U.S. Wildland Fire Service graphic for a fire update featuring a line of firefighters walking toward a forest fire while the sun sets in the background.

Firefighters Increase Containment of Big Fire, Cecil Fire East of Ruby

By U.S. Wildland Fire Service on July 1, 2026

Firefighters achieved 10% containment on the Big Fire (#313) and 40% containment on the Cecil Fire (#315) on Tuesday. The fires are about 11 miles east of Ruby but are not currently threatening the community or nearby Native allotments.

A wildland fire location map titled "Ruby Area Fires," that shows two fire perimeters (outlined in red, shaded pink) east of the village of Ruby, Alaska, which sits on the south bank of the Yukon River. The Yukon River flows across the upper-left portion of the map, joined by Bootlegger Slough and the Melozitna River, with Ruby's local road network shown in orange. To the east, two fires are marked with red outlines and burning symbols: 313-Big (241.5 acres) — the smaller, northern fire, an elongated shape located near Big Creek and 315-Cecil (724 acres) — the larger, southern fire, a longer north-south oriented shape located near Little Boulder Creek.

Type 3 Team Assumes Command of Big, Cecil Fires Near Ruby

By U.S. Wildland Fire Service on June 30, 2026

A local Type 3 incident management team has assumed command of firefighting efforts for the Big Fire (#313) and the Cecil Fire (#315) near Ruby. The team’s leadership is made up of U.S. Wildland Fire Service personnel from Alaska and personnel from the State of Michigan.

Cool, wet weather aids crews fighting 2 fires near Ruby

By U.S. Wildland Fire Service on June 29, 2026

Firefighters took advantage of Sunday’s cooler, wetter weather to continue establishing containment lines around a pair of wildfires near Ruby. Both the Big Fire (#313) and the Cecil Fire (#315) received heavy rain throughout the day. The fires are less than a mile apart and saw no growth Sunday.

Light-colored wildfire smoke is seen rising from a mostly green landscape in a photo taken from the air.

Pioneer Peak Hotshots, Gannett Glacier Crew Join Fight Against 2 Fires Near Ruby

By U.S. Wildland Fire Service on June 28, 2026

The effort to fully suppress the Big Fire (#313) and the Cecil Fire (#315) was reinforced Saturday with the arrival of additional firefighting crews. The lightning-caused fires are separated by less than a mile and are about 11 miles east of Ruby.

Two columns of wildfire smoke are shown rising from the ground in a photo taken from an airplane. The Yukon River is seen in the foreground.

Firefighters Working to Suppress 2 Fires Near Ruby

By U.S. Wildland Fire Service on June 27, 2026

Nearly two dozen smokejumpers supported by multiple water-scooping aircraft are working to fully suppress two fires that were detected Friday afternoon near Ruby. The Big Fire (#313), which was previously named the Little Fire, and the Cecil Fire (#315) are separated by less than a mile.

smoke pours from a large tundra fire with mountains in the distance

Alaska Fire Service managers expect more lightning-caused fires

By U.S. Wildland Fire Service on June 18, 2022

Yesterday June 18, the year-to-date number of acres burned by wildfires inAlaska reached 1,005,196. This is the earliest date for reaching a millionacres since this statistic was first tracked in 1990. Widespread thunderstorms and lightning are causing several new… Read More ›

New hold-over fires pop up in Northeast Alaska

By U.S. Wildland Fire Service on June 17, 2022

Widespread lightning on June 16 resulted in several new fires today in the Upper Yukon Zone of the Alaska Fire Service. The Schilling Fire (#294) is burning in a limited protection area 38 miles west of Venetie. The fire… Read More ›