BLM Alaska Fire Service – Alaska Wildland Fire Information

Fulton Hotshots hiking on fire during their time on the Bean Complex. Photo credit: Kylie Paul Fulton Hotshot Crew

Bean Complex transitions command to the BLM Alaska Fire Service Tanana Fire Management Zone

By beancomplex2022 on August 3, 2022

Northern Rockies Incident Management Team 4 returned command of the Bean Complex to the BLM Alaska Fire Service Tanana Fire Management Zone at 9 a.m. Wednesday. This will be the final daily Bean Complex update unless fire activity increases significantly…. Read More ›

Alaska Fire Service dispatch is the main communication link for fire and aviation resources. Dispatchers are working at their computers to assist firefighters with ordering what is needed for fires. Photo credit: Beth Ipsen, BLM AFS

Bean Complex receives strong support from the fire service dispatch center and fire cache

By beancomplex2022 on August 2, 2022

All seven fires on the Bean Complex are now unstaffed and will be monitored by air. Equipment and supplies are being hauled from Manley Hot Springs to the BLM Alaska Fire Service Cache in Fairbanks. Cleaning of facilities in Manley… Read More ›

3 firefighters in green pants, yellow shirts, yellow hardhats, wearing a pack, holding different tools bend down to move their bare hand through the dirt to feel for heat. Ground is black and brown from fire burn with a mix of trees that have green, golden or brown leaves.

Cold trailing and suppression repair ongoing for Clear Fire

By Alaska Fire PIOs on August 1, 2022

Update for the Clear Fire – August 1, 2022 Size: 72,191 | Completion: 77% | Personnel: 127 | Cause: Natural, lightning Fire activity on the Clear Fire was minimal Sunday with the exception of one spot on the southern end… Read More ›

Incident Management Team at command post in Fairbanks conduct daily operational briefings by radio to inform all fire resources on the Bean Complex. Radio repeaters make it possible to communicate with firefighters in remote areas. Incident Meteorologist using base station radio phone to give weather briefing. People from other sections listen to briefing and their turn to brief over the radio in radio room. Photo credit: Tomas Liogys

Field operations completed and radio repeater system being removed on the Bean Complex

By beancomplex2022 on August 1, 2022

All the structure protection and fireline equipment have been hauled out from the fires and staged at Manley Hot Springs for ground transport. The last firefighters are also back to Manley Hot Springs and all the fires are now unstaffed… Read More ›

Firefighters, equipment and supplies being shuttled on the river by boats. The bow of the river boat moving down the Tanana River with firefighter gear and cooler. Photo credit: Kylie Paul Fulton IHC

Bean Complex now at 90% completion

By beancomplex2022 on July 31, 2022

Over the past two days, Operations personnel have been able to make significant progress on dismantling structure protection and fireline equipment and hauling it to Manley Hot Springs by helicopter and motorboat. The equipment is then packaged for ground transport… Read More ›

Fulton Hotshots hiking on the Bean Complex for their work day in frontier of Alaska. Wildland fire crews hike in line for many reasons, especially for safety. The leader picks the path, sets the pace, and communicates messages such as any hazards to watch for along the way. Messages are passed up and down the line like the game of telephone. This type of communication is extremely important when crewmembers do not have radios and it builds crew cohesion. Black and white photo of firefighting crew hiking in a line with their initial attack packs on a hand tools and chainsaws in their hands. Photo credit: Kylie Paul, Fulton Hotshot

Incident Meteorologist has been a valuable team member on the Bean Complex

By beancomplex2022 on July 30, 2022

Warm and sunny weather conditions dominated the region again on Friday, allowing for continued helicopter and motorboat hauling work. No measurable amounts of rain were recorded over the fire area over the past 24 hours, yet fire activity remained smoldering… Read More ›

Bean Complex work with Tanana 440 boat race organizers to make it a success

By beancomplex2022 on July 29, 2022

Tanana 440 Boat Race occurred on July 23 – 24, 2022 on the Tanana River. Boat racers must maneuver 800 of the toughest river miles in the world from Fairbanks to Tanana, AK. Race organizers and Bean Complex incident management… Read More ›

Unused fire equipment, supplies and trash are being hauled back to Manley Forward Operating Base (FOB). This is accomplished by firefighters securely packing items to be transported by boat or helicopter. In remote areas, cargo sling loads are netted up and really to be hauled off by helicopter. Each cargo load has a weight that is given to the pilot to ensure safe transported by the helicopter. Black and white photo of two cargo nets with fire hose rolls, boxes and barrels. Firefighter walking in the burned area with burned trees in the background. Photo credit: Kylie Paul, Fulton Hotshot Crew

Helicopter flight confirms minimal fire activity on the Bean Complex

By beancomplex2022 on July 29, 2022

On Thursday, the Fire Behavior Analyst, Incident Meteorologist, and operational personnel took a helicopter flight over much of the fire area to assess fire behavior and weather conditions. Fire activity was witnessed as smoldering and minimal. Subsurface hotspots remained scattered… Read More ›

Firefighters wait to return to the lower 48 by NICC jet

Fighting fire in remote, rugged Alaska is the dream for many firefighters

By Alaska Fire PIOs on July 28, 2022

The Last Frontier is an experience that many firefighters never get. For the crews that do, it is a memorable experience that they regale their peers, friends and family with. Instead of digging miles of handline across ridgetops as done in… Read More ›

This picture reflects a process called cold trailing. This is where firefighters go through the burnt areas and actually feel the ground for hot spots.

Progress on the Clear Fire

By clearfire2022 on July 28, 2022

This will be the final update from Northern Rockies Team 1. Zane Brown’s Type 3 team will assume command of the fire tomorrow at 8:00 a.m. “We appreciate the support from communities affected by the Clear Fire. The safety of… Read More ›