With extremely dry conditions persisting across much of Alaska, wildland fire managers are asking the public to be mindful of the potential for wildfires during Memorial Day weekend. “For many Alaskans, Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of summer,”… Read More ›
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
State Forestry monitoring hot spots that overwintered from Deshka Landing Fire
The Alaska Division of Forestry is monitoring several hot spots from last summer’s Deshka Landing Fire near Willow that have been reported over the course of the winter. The first reports of smoke and smoldering were provided by trail groomers… Read More ›
100th crew from Lower 48 arrives in Fairbanks
As blue-shirted ranks of firefighters stepped off a chartered jet and onto the tarmac of Fort Wainwright’s Ladd Army Airfield on Saturday evening, a 2019 milestone was reached for Alaska. Arrival of the five interagency handcrews from midwestern states marked… Read More ›
Firefighters continue prepping allotments for possible burnout operation on Taixtsalda Hill Fire
Firefighters continue to set up protection measures around Native allotments and cabins threatened by the Taixtsalda Hill Fire (#357) in hopes of conducting burnout operations to widen and reinforce containment lines around them. The latest size estimate for the Taixtsalda… Read More ›
Wildfire near Tok continues to grow; now estimated at 12,000 acres
Fueled by continued hot, dry and windy conditions, a wildfire burning near Tok more than doubled in size on Wednesday. The Taixtsalda Hill Fire (#357) is now estimated at 12,000 acres, an increase of more than 7,000 acres since late… Read More ›
Wildfire near Tok grows to 4,700 acres as managers reassess strategy
A wildfire southeast of Tok grew by about 4,000 acres on Tuesday, prompting fire managers with the Alaska Division of Forestry to change tactics from full suppression to point protection. The Taixtsalda Hill Fire (#357), which started on Monday, is… Read More ›
East Fork Fire on Kenai Peninsula now estimated at 850 acres
A lightning-caused wildfire in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge more than doubled in size on Friday after increasing winds throughout the afternoon produced extreme fire behavior on the east and northeast sides of the fire. The latest size estimate on… Read More ›
Wildfire on Kenai Peninsula grows but poses no immediate threat
A lightning-caused wildfire burning in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge grew in size on Friday but firefighters were able to keep it from spreading south and west toward the Sterling Highway. As of 5:30 p.m., the East Fork Fire was… Read More ›
Firefighters working on East Fork Fire in Kenai National Wildlife Refuge
Fire managers have formulated a plan to manage a 198-acre wildfire that started in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge on Thursday evening. The East Fork Fire was reported at 6:25 p.m. east of the East Fork of the Moose River,… Read More ›
Change in weather should assist firefighters Southwest Alaska
Firefighters battling multiple lightning-caused fires in Southwest Alaska are finally getting a helping hand from Mother Nature in the form of cooler, wetter weather. Several fires have received varying amounts of precipitation and temperatures cooled considerably on Thursday night and… Read More ›