Smokejumpers were deployed on a new wildfire about 1.5 miles northeast of Tolovana Hot Springs Friday evening. A BLM Alaska Fire Service helicopter used a large bucket suspended underneath to drop water on the fire before and after the four smokejumpers arrived over the fire at about 8:20 p.m.
Initial reports are the Vigor Fire (#298) is estimated to be 5 acres in size, smoldering, creeping and backing against the wind with some small torching of black spruce. It was burning through mixed hardwoods and spruce along a ridgetop. Smokejumpers flying over the fire also reported there were quite a bit of dead and down trees in the area.
More information will be available in the morning.
For more information, contact BLM AFS Public Affairs Specialist Beth Ipsen at 907-356-5510 or eipsen@blm.gov.
Categories: Active Wildland Fire