Yesterday afternoon as persistent sunshine continues to dry out Alaska, several new fire starts required initial attack. Jump ship 90 deployed six smokejumpers to the Walrus Islands Fire (#096). This is a group of islands located in the Bering Sea… Read More ›
BLM Alaska Fire Service
Narrated Aerial Surveillance Flight + Infrared Footage of Kwethluk Fire April 26, 2022
A flyover video narrated by DOF’s mapping specialist Matt Snyder yesterday for the #KwethlukFire includes infrared footage and a detailed description of how the fire burned, where it tried to go and where it was held by natural barriers. Monitoring… Read More ›
Natural Barriers and Weather Change Halt Kwethluk Fire (#012) Remains in Monitor Status at 10,302 acres
Forward movement has been halted for the early season Kwethluk Fire. Burning in tundra, grasses and brush since Saturday April 16th, the wind driven wildfire has been finding sun dried fuels in the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge. Originally reported… Read More ›
Kwethluk Fire (#012): 5th Observation Flight Predicts 9,693 acre Fire Running Out of Fuel and Into Natural Barriers
Friday afternoon at 4:15pm, DOF’s aerial mapping specialist Matt Snyder took his fifth observation flight of the now 9,693 acre Kwethluk Fire (fire #012) burning in the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge. Snyder, based at the DOF station in McGrath, has… Read More ›
Haystack Fire estimated at 500 acres; crews and dozers working to build control lines
UPDATE 10 p.m. The Haystack Fire north of Fairbanks is currently estimated 500 acres and crews are working diligently to secure the southern edge of the fire to protect residences in the Haystack Subdivision, which is located approximately 2 miles… Read More ›
State forestry working to confine, contain 300-acre wildfire 6 miles south of McGrath on Kuskokwim River
The Alaska Division of Forestry has deployed a team of 12 smokejumpers from the BLM Alaska Fire Service on an estimated 300-acre wildfire burning along the east bank of the Kuskokwim River approximately 6 miles south of McGrath. The About… Read More ›
Firefighters gain ground containing wildfires near Haystack Mountain and Ft. Knox Gold Mine north of Fairbanks
Firefighters from both the Division of Forestry and BLM Alaska Fire Service are making progress containing two wildfires about 20 miles apart north of Fairbanks. Approximately 60 firefighter personnel are attacking the Haystack Fire (#196), is located about one-half mile… Read More ›
Loon Lake Fire 15% contained and size reduced to 75 acres, more firefighters on the way
Better mapping has reduced the size of the Loon Lake Fire (#180) burning in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge from 150 to approximately 75 acres as of early Monday morning. Little growth was expected overnight following an aggressive aerial attack… Read More ›
Aerial attack greatly reduces fire behavior on 150-acre Loon Lake Fire
Here’s a 7 p.m. photo of the Loon Lake Fire following a ramped-up aerial assault on the 150-acre wildfire burning in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge that included water drops from two water-scooping aircraft from the BLM Alaska Fire Service… Read More ›
Firefighters gain ground containing Rosie Creek and Salcha River wildfires near Fairbanks
Firefighters continue working to fully contain two small wildfires burning on opposite sides of the Tanana Valley near Fairbanks. The 1-acre Rosie Creek Fire (#174), which was reported early Saturday afternoon in the Rosie Creek area about 14 miles southwest… Read More ›