Crews continued working along the south and southwest edges of the Ninetyeight Fire (#218) to confine the fire north of the Salcha river. Recent precipitation over the area is keeping the fire at a creeping and smoldering pace.
Ninetyeight Fire
Recent moisture helps increase completion to 48% on Ninetyeight Fire
Recent moisture over the fire area has kept fire activity at a low and firefighters have increased completion to 48%. Crews reported a trace of rain over the fire yesterday afternoon. Fire behavior for the Ninetyeight Fire (#218) was listed as creeping and smoldering. A recent Infrared (IR) flight showed limited heat throughout the fire area; the hottest spots were observed on the west and southwest sides.
Crews Advance on Containment as Fire Activity Increases Slightly on the Ninetyeight Fire
The Ninetyeight Fire (#218) continues to challenge crews with warm, dry weather conditions that have led to moderate fire behavior. Over the weekend, fire activity slightly increased, with creeping and smoldering observed along the southern edge, while single-tree torching occurred in the north.
Containment improves as crews push forward
Firefighters continue their determined efforts to contain the Ninetyeight Fire (#218), achieving 40% of their containment objectives despite persistent warm and dry conditions. Saturday’s fire behavior remained minimal, marked by creeping, smoldering, and isolated torching. The most concentrated heat continues to be located in the fire’s southwest corner and northern edge.
Crews adjust tactics on Ninetyeight Fire after boat incident
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.
Firefighters injured in boating incident on Salcha River
Update at 6:35 p.m. from the U.S. Forest Service about the firefighters injured in today’s boating incident on the Salcha River. Forest Service News Release Media Contact:Region 5 Media DeskSM.FS.MediaDeskR5@usda.gov California Firefighters Injured in Boating Incident on Salcha River FAIRBANKS, Alaska… Read More ›
Firefighters make progress as weather clears over Ninetyeight Fire
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.
Firefighters capitalize on cooler weather to advance containment efforts on Ninetyeight Fire
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.
Cooler, wetter weather brings much-needed reprieve to the Ninetyeight
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 make progress on the Ninetyeight Fire despite gusty winds
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.
Alaska Wildland Fire Information 