It was another active day for both the Globe Fire and firefighters working to protect property from fires in the area.

The Globe Fire (#253) is now part of the Grapefruit Complex, named after a nearby rock climbing spot. It has significantly burned the area around these limestone rocks and spread east on Saturday toward the White Mountains National Recreation Area, which has a fire closure that includes the Wickersham Dome Trail.

On Friday, the Iver and Slate fires merged into the Iver Fire (#249), now estimated at 14,649 acres and burning 10 miles east of Minto Lake. It threatens a Native allotment and is quickly spreading through spruce trees toward the Elliott Highway, where the Globe Fire is already present. The Trans-Alaska Pipeline lies between the two fires, with the Iver Fire about 7 miles southwest of the Globe Fire’s crossing at mile 39.

The complex also includes:

• The Eagle Fire (#306) is estimated at 40 acres and was backing, creeping and smoldering in a mixture of spruce and hardwoods. It wasn’t immediately threatening any known sites of value. This lightning-caused fire has been burning since late Friday night.
• The Wilber Fire (#308) was fire was reported at about 2 p.m. Saturday. It is about 4 miles west of mile 51.
• The Tatlina Fire (#292) was reported by a passing motorist east of mile 51 Elliott Highway.
• The Noordor Fire (#192) is estimated at 7,195 acres. This lightning-caused fire has been burning on BLM-managed land since June 20.
• The Fossil Fire (#115) is not exhibiting any fire activity or smoke, but will still be grouped into the complex. It is located in the White Mountain National Recreation Area.

Firefighters, including smokejumpers, two hotshot crews, and the BLM Type 2 CATG crew from Yukon Flats, are working to clear brush and set up sprinkler systems on structures threatened by the Globe Fire. There are 94 personnel assigned to the fire, with the Silver City (New Mexico) Hotshot Crew arriving Sunday. The Eagle Lake Wildland Fire Module from California arrived at the fire Saturday night and is tasked with structure assessments along the Elliott Highway from mile 39 to Livengood 32 miles north.

The fire was estimated at 9,342 acres Saturday. Heavy smoke prevented ground or aerial surveys and made flying aircraft for suppression efforts hazardous.

Smoke continues to hamper aerial support for firefighters working on the ground who are tasked with set up protection measures on more than 40 structures, Native allotments and Globe Creek Camp. A few days ago, the fire crossed the road north of Globe Creek Camp and south of a subdivision of homes, leaving structures intact.

A GO Evacuation Order is still in place for people within mileposts 39-48.  

The section of the Elliott Highway near the Globe Fire reopened late Thursday night. Expect significant delays between mileposts 25-50 if fire activity increases as it did Thursday afternoon. Please exercise caution and patience, turn on your headlights to help ensure the safety of firefighters and flaggers working in the area. Alaska State Troopers, Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities contracted workers and a pilot car are helping keep the flow of traffic open.

Check https://511.alaska.gov/ for road updates.

Warmer and drier conditions are predicted to continue through the weekend. There is a chance of isolated thunderstorms and possibly some rain in the afternoons. Winds could be gusty and erratic around the thunderstorms.

Read the more information about the Globe Fire at https://akfireinfo.com/tag/globe-fire/.

For more information, call the Alaska Interagency Wildland Fire Information Office at (907)356-5511.

-BLM-

Bureau of Land Management, Alaska Fire Service, P.O. Box 35005 1541 Gaffney Road, Fort Wainwright, Ak 99703

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The Bureau of Land Management Alaska Fire Service (AFS) located at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, provides wildland fire suppression services for over 240 million acres of Department of the Interior and Native Corporation Lands in Alaska. In addition, AFS has other statewide responsibilities that include: interpretation of fire management policy; oversight of the BLM Alaska Aviation program; fuels management projects; and operating and maintaining advanced communication and computer systems such as the Alaska Lightning Detection System. AFS also maintains a National Incident Support Cache with a $18.1 million inventory. The Alaska Fire Service provides wildland fire suppression services for America’s “Last Frontier” on an interagency basis with the State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources, USDA Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Military in Alaska.

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

Tags: Globe Fire, Grapefruit Complex

By Alaska Fire PIOs on June 29, 2024

Firefighters are currently battling the 20-acre Tustumena Lake Fire (#311) approximately two miles to the northwest of the northern shores of Tustumena Lake. The fire is burning in a roadless location in black spruce away from any structures at this time. Using helicopters, firefighters were shuttled to the fire to begin suppression efforts with support from air tankers and water scooping aircraft. Additional smokejumpers have been ordered to bolster suppression efforts on the ground. Fire personnel will continue to use water dropping helicopters throughout the evening to cool the fire’s perimeter in order to construct fire line as they slow the spread of the fire. 

With multiple initial attack fires occurring in the Coastal Region today, fire managers are utilizing limited resources to provide the most benefit to suppression efforts across the region. Smoke and aircraft will be visible to the public traveling along the Tustumena Lake Road but at this time the fire poses no threat to the public.  

‹ BLM Alaska Fire Service Fire Update

Categories: AK Fire Info, Alaska DNR – Division of Forestry (DOF)

Tags: 2024 Alaska Fire Season, Alaska Division of Forestry, Soldotna, Tustamena Lake Fire

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For jet flights from Anchorage, the first stop at the airport is the check-in kiosk. Then, it’s off to the TSA line.

But those jet flights are just half of the story for Anchorage travelers. The entire A concourse at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport as well as the L gates downstairs near the baggage claim are reserved for smaller carriers that go to many destinations around the state.

Air carriers come and go. Some familiar names are gone, but not forgotten, including Era Alaska, Reeve Aleutian Air, Markair … even Wien Air Alaska. Many of the destinations, and a whole lot more, are served by carriers that fly out of the A and L gates. Further, several air carriers fly out of other terminals, or out of Anchorage’s downtown airport at Merrill Field.

I boarded an early flight on a recent morning from Anchorage to Kenai. But the 7 a.m. flight time was not the first flight of the day.

Kenai Aviation’s first flight of the day is at 4 a.m. from Kenai to Anchorage. The nine-seat Tecnam 2012 aircraft then turns around and flies south at 5 a.m.

Kenai Aviation recently acquired a third aircraft. “That enables us to fly two planes on the route between Anchorage and Kenai, using the third plane as a spare,” said company founder Joel Caldwell.

The Tecnam aircraft is a wing-over twin-engine plane made in Italy.

Grant Aviation dedicates four Cessna 208s to the Anchorage-Kenai route, according to Dan Knesek, the company’s vice president. “During the peak summer season, we offer 36 flights a day between Anchorage and Kenai,” he said.

Grant’s first southbound flight of the day leaves Anchorage at 4:30 a.m. for Kenai.

Kenai is Grant’s only destination out of Anchorage, although the carrier operates an extensive network in Southwest Alaska.

Grant Aviation and Kenai Aviation both are part 135 air carriers, which means they are limited to nine passengers per flight. Since Ravn Alaska pulled out of the Anchorage-Kenai market, all flights are on the smaller nine-seat planes.

Ravn Alaska still flies to Homer, though. They also fly to Valdez, Dutch Harbor, Sand Point, Cold Bay, St. Paul Island, St. Mary’s and Unalakleet. All of Ravn’s flights are on the de Havilland Dash 8, which holds up to 37 passengers.

[Make the most of warm summer days and get out to Kachemak Bay, Resurrection Bay and Prince William Sound]

Aleutian Airways flies a larger plane, the Saab 2000, configured for 41-50 passengers. From Anchorage, the carrier flies to Sand Point, Dutch Harbor, King Salmon and Cold Bay.

Both Ravn Alaska and Aleutian Airways are part 121 carriers like Alaska Airlines. That means they can carry more than nine passengers per flight — but must adhere to stricter safety protocols.

Up until March, Aleutian Airways flew between Anchorage and Homer. The airline had planned to continue flights through the summer. But the state of Alaska’s runway repaving program stopped that plan. As the runway was being repaved in sections, it was too narrow to accommodate Aleutian Airways’ larger aircraft. So, Ravn Alaska now provides the only air service.

Ryan Air has a large air cargo and freight operation in Western Alaska. But the carrier also offers scheduled flights between Anchorage and Aniak, aboard a Pilatus PC-12 aircraft.

The PC-12 is a popular aircraft for part 135 carriers. It’s a powerful plane with a pressurized cabin. Alaska Air Taxi has a fleet of four of these aircraft. The carrier offers flights from its hangar at Merrill Field to Tatitlek and Chenega in Prince William Sound. Alaska Air Taxi also serves two destinations along the Kuskokwim River: Takotna and Nikolai.

McGrath is between Takotna and Nikolai on the Kuskokwim. Reeve Air flies nonstop from Anchorage to McGrath five days a week (Monday-Friday). Reeve also flies twice each week between Anchorage and Glennallen. Reeve operates from a hangar on the shores of Lake Hood — not from the main terminal.

In Western Alaska, Lake and Peninsula Airways flies from Merrill Field to Port Alsworth, connecting with several villages in the area, including Nondalton, Iliamna, Pedro Bay, Igiugig and Kokhanok. Lake and Pen Air flies Cessna 208s on the routes.

Iliamna Air Taxi also flies to many of these destinations via scheduled flights from Anchorage to Iliamna. The carrier flies a pressurized PC-12 on the route.

Each transportation hub has its own collection of air carriers to fly travelers, mail and freight to villages around the state.

From Fairbanks, Everts, Wright Air Service and Warbelows fly up and down the Yukon and Tanana River Valleys.

From Nome and Kotzebue, Bering Air has an extensive network from Savoonga on St. Lawrence Island to Point Lay along the Arctic coast.

In Bethel, both Grant Aviation and Yute Air Taxi offer flights to more than 50 villages.

Down in Southeast Alaska, Alaska Seaplanes has developed an extensive network from Juneau, Sitka and Ketchikan to smaller towns up and down the Inside Passage.

The extensive network of smaller, regional carriers is an essential part of Alaska’s transportation infrastructure.

[Correction: This story has been updated to reflect that Ravn Alaska and Aleutian Airways are part 121 carriers, not part 131 carriers.]