Firefighters finishing work on BLM AFS wildfires and regrouping for upcoming hot weather

By BLM Alaska Fire Service on July 31, 2023

The weekend’s cooler weather is giving firefighters and fire managers a chance to regroup and prepare for the upcoming return to hotter weather. A week has gone by since thunderstorms rolled through Alaska, bringing lightning and sparking fires that resurrected what was shaping up to be a record-slow fire season. The result of approximately 42,000 strikes – 18,000 occurring on the first day of the lightning event – has so far been 117 new fires and an estimated 38,700 additional acres burned in the past week.

With temperatures predicted to reach as high as 90 degrees in some parts of Interior Alaska, that number could increase even if the amount of lightning has decreased exponentially. BLM Alaska Fire Service fire managers are surveying the good work firefighters have done to suppress fires and continuing to support those still working on the six staffed fires in the BLM AFS protection area that covers the northern half of the state.

Anticipating the upcoming hot weather for the Yukon Flats, which is climatologically the driest part of the state, BLM AFS opened its fire station in Fort Yukon today for the first time this season. This will be used as a hub to shuttle firefighters, equipment and supplies for fires in the region. The BLM AFS Upper Yukon Fire Management Zone covers almost 52 million acres in northeast Alaska. Of the 25 active fires in this zone, four were staffed as of Monday morning.

Four smokejumpers deployed to the Birch Fire (#306) Sunday night, suppressed this small fire. This fire was discovered by smokejumpers who were deploying to the Lower Birch Fire (#291) burning about 13 miles east of Beaver. The two fires are very close together. The Cascade Wildland Fire Module out of Boise National Forest is mobilizing to replace the smokejumpers on the Lower Birch Fire.

A 10-person all-women’s Student Conservation Association crew out of the Alaska National Parks mobilized to protect historic mining camp from the Ikheenjik Fire (#234). This 95-acre fire is burning on BLM-managed lands about 2 miles south of mile 94 Steese Highway east of the Ikheenjik River, formerly known as the Birch Creek Wild and Scenic River. They anticipate having this work completed in the next few days.

Fire managers are looking at demobilizing four smokejumpers this week that were sent to protect cabins from the 300-acre Crooked Fire (#262) burning 15 miles north of Chena Hot Springs.

Meanwhile, the BLM AFS Tanana Fire Management Zone anticipates demobilizing all its staffed fires, including the 5-acre Vigor Fire (#298) near the Tolovana Hot Springs and the 5-acre Brooks Fire (#284) near Livengood, in the few days. This Zone encompasses 44.3 million acres in the northern middle section of Alaska.

Three BLM AFS fire specialists were demobilized a day early from the 3-acre Susie Fire (#256) burning north of Rampart due to an encounter with two bears. The three had the fire contained and controlled with the plan to have it fully suppressed in a day.

With 130 active fires throughout Alaska, including some large ones threatening communities and property in parts of Interior Alaska, there’s still a lot of potential going into what is typically the waning part of fire season.

Holdover fires, and continued growth of existing fires, are a concern as fuels continue to dry out in many parts of the Interior.

While lightning strikes often ignite wildfires the moment they hit the ground, that is not always the case. Some fires, called holdovers, don’t reveal themselves for days after lightning strikes. Holdover fires can smolder below the surface for several days until temperatures warm, vegetation dries, and wind breathes life into the smoldering hot spot.

Thankfully, some firefighting resources that were away in Canada and the Lower 48 to work on fires are returning this week to help with what may be coming.

Contact BLM AFS Public Affairs Specialist Beth Ipsen at 907-356-5510 or [email protected] for more information.

Categories: Active Wildland Fire, AK Fire Info, BLM Alaska Fire Service

Tags: 2023 Alaska Fire Season