Wildland firefighters took advantage of cooler, cloudier weather on Monday to start putting in containment lines around the perimeter of the 1,000-acre Tetlin River Fire about 20 miles south of Tok. The fire did not receive any precipitation on Sunday… Read More ›
Fairbanks
Tetlin River Fire near Tok now estimated at 450 acres; more crews on the way
Firefighters on the ground and in the air are working to gain control of a wildfire burning close to the village of Tetlin, about 20 miles south of Tok. The Tetlin River Fire was estimated at approximately 450 acres as… Read More ›
High fire danger requires vigilance over Solstice Weekend
June 17, 2016 – With the hottest temperatures of the summer heading into Solstice Weekend, wildfire officials in Alaska are urging extreme caution with any kind of activity that could spark a wildfire. Hot, dry weather for the last week… Read More ›
Last crews pulled off Medfra Fire in southwest Alaska
4 p.m. June 13, 2016 – The last two crews working on a wildfire in a remote part of southwest Alaska were scheduled to be demobilized today. The 9,607-acre Medfra Fire, which started on May 29 as the result of… Read More ›
Rain slows spread of 10,500-acre Medfra Fire in Southwest Alaska
A wildfire burning in remote Southwest Alaska is now estimated at almost 10,500 acres but fire behavior has moderated considerably as a result of rain, cooler temperatures and rising relative humidity. The latest acreage estimate for the Medfra Fire as… Read More ›
Twenty-four cadets graduate from Alaska Advanced Wildland Firefighter Academy
A class of 24 cadets recently graduated from the Alaska Advanced Wildland Firefighter Academy held at the Lost Lake Boy Scout Camp near Fairbanks from April 24 to May 9. The Academy is sponsored by the Alaska Division of Forestry…. Read More ›
Wildfire activity heating up in Interior
Wildfire activity is heating up along with the weather in Interior Alaska. The Fairbanks Area State Forestry office responded to two small wildfires today and a coal-seam fire near Healy continued to grow.. The first fire, the Ohio Creek Fire,… Read More ›
Alaska crews spread out across four states in Pacific Northwest
What’s the difference between fighting fire in the Lower 48 and Alaska? Well, there are several differences but one of the biggest is steep terrain, evidenced by these pictures taken by Steve Theisen that show the Allakaket Type 2 Crew… Read More ›
Support from Lower 48, Canada are key to Alaska firefighting efforts
Normally, it’s tourists who flock to Alaska from the Lower 48 in the summer. This year, it’s been firefighters and other firefighting personnel. With Alaska on pace to set a new record for the number of acres burned by wildfires,… Read More ›
Creamer’s Field Prescribed Burn is planned to start this morning
The Creamer’s Field Prescribed Burn will occur today, weather conditions permitting.