Firefighters are making steady progress toward protecting cabins and other values at risk from the Ninetyeight Fire (#218) as warmer, drier conditions persist across the area. Forty percent of the work toward this goal has been completed. No growth has been observed and the fire behavior Friday included creeping and smoldering with isolated torching.
Following two days of rain, the sun has returned over the Ninetyeight Fire (#218), bringing clearer skies and improved visibility for aerial reconnaissance. Conditions on the ground have stabilized, with minimal fire growth observed. The fire is currently smoldering and creeping with some interior heat.
Wetting rains brought a welcome pause in fire activity on the Ninetyeight Fire (#218), allowing firefighters to make strategic progress on containment lines and structure protection. While smoldering continued in some areas, overall fire behavior remained minimal under cooler, wetter conditions.
Recent cooler temperatures and periods of scattered rainfall have brought welcome relief to crews battling the Ninetyeight Fire (#218). The weather shift has enabled progress on fire containment and structure protection across key areas. Yesterday, the fire’s activity remained low, largely limited to smoldering and creeping behavior. Periods of moderate rain in the south and southwest zone helped dampen fire behavior allowing firefighters to bolster and secure containment lines. In the northern section of the fire, low cloud cover hampered visibility, limiting efforts. Meanwhile, crews in the east successfully completed structure protection work on Alaska Native allotments, with plans to begin new structure protective efforts today.
The Ninetyeight Fire (#218) experienced a welcome shift in weather, with cooler temperatures, increased humidity, and light rainfall. These improved conditions allowed firefighters to strengthen and secure containment lines on the southern and southwestern flanks yesterday. On the east side, favorable weather helped crews focus on completing protection work for Alaska Native allotments. In the northern division, firefighters used defensive burning techniques to safeguard military infrastructure by removing surrounding fuels and reducing risk to critical assets.
Firefighters yesterday contended with gusty winds on the Ninetyeight Fire (#218), which has now grown to 15,321 acres after merging with the Brigadier Fire (#203). Later in the day, increased humidity, cooler temperatures, and cloud cover helped crews secure line. Crews focused on water bucket drops between Mile 33 and Mile 35 of the Salcha River to support line construction, while work continued on a strong fire break on the eastern edge to protect Native American allotments. In the black tundra reburn area, firefighters found no remaining heat. To the north, crews worked to widen fire lines to protect military infrastructure and hold the fire south of Brigadier Road.
Crews continued to battle the Ninetyeight Fire (#218) yesterday as extreme fire weather persisted for a third consecutive day. Winds and low relative humidity threatened established fire lines. Firefighters on the southwest corner, from Mile 33 to Mile 35 along the Salcha River, engaged the fire directly while bucket drops and scoopers supported containment efforts. Although the fire spotted outside the firebreaks a few times, firefighters, assisted by helicopter drops, successfully extinguished these spot fires.
High heat and low humidity contributed to active fire behavior on the Ninetyeight Fire (#218) yesterday, with another significant push to the north and west. Firefighters used direct tactics to protect infrastructure on military land and keep the fire south of Brigadier Road. Due to fire crews working in this area, Training Areas 315, 316, 317, and 318 in the Yukon Training Area (YTA) are closed. For public safety and the safety of fire personnel, please avoid this area until further notice.
The Ninetyeight Fire (#218) remained active yesterday under continued hot and dry conditions. It is now 10,544 acres in size, with some growth to the north and west. On the southwest side, the fire is burning in hardwoods, which has moderated fire spread. Yesterday scooper aircraft and helicopters conducted water drops on the southwest corner from Salcha to the boundary of military land to assist hotshots in keeping that portion of the fire in check.
Yesterday afternoon, strong winds pushed Ninetyeight Fire (#218) approximately one mile to the southwest. Multiple aircraft responded, including water-scooping aircraft and helicopters, dropping water on the new southwest flank near Mile 32.5. The strong aerial support enabled firefighters to prevent the fire from crossing the Salcha River, and no structures were damaged. The fire is now burning in hardwood fuels. Firefighters made solid progress on structure protection in the area, plumbing many cabins for defense. A hotshot crew will continue patrolling nearby structures around Miles 31-32 and improving protection measures, and firefighters will go direct on this portion of the fire today to prevent additional spread.
Alaska Wildland Fire Information 