Weather conditions in Southwest Alaska have stabilized, allowing firefighters to reach their objectives – Alaska Wildland Fire Information

No new fires were reported in southwest Alaska Friday, allowing firefighting resources to focus on extinguishing fires in the region. The forecast for the weekend will not be much different from those of the last few days. Cooler and wetter along the coast, with inland areas drier and warmer as high pressure develops over the continent. Afternoon showers will be possible in locations closer to the western Alaska Range, but stable air should help prevent thunderstorms from forming over southwest Alaska this weekend.

The DOF firefighters of the South-West region are mobilizing for American Creek Fire (#143) which began following a lightning strike on June 16 and is burning in a limited response zone 25 miles northeast of King Salmon, between Nonvianuk Lake to the north and Coville Lake to the south. The fire is estimated at 8,185 acres. The six firefighters intervened with King Salmon to provide occasional protection to cabins along American Creek, west of the fire. They will also assess lodges in the area and develop spot protection for them. Spot protection is a strategy used in limited response areas where values ​​at risk are found in large and extensive wilderness areas. Firefighters will defend the scene as a fire approaches, without directly stopping the spread of the wildfire.

Below is an update on Friday's actions on fires managed by the Type 3 organization in Southwest Alaska, now known as the Red Devil Group. Personnel assigned and acreage have been updated to reflect the most recent numbers.

Cribby Creek Fire (#201) – 3 miles north of Red Devil, a modified response area is burning. Improved mapping has made it possible to reduce the area; it is now estimated at 91 acres with 10% containment. 46 people are currently affected. The Red Devil Group incident commander reported that no smoke or fire activity was identified on the edge of the fire perimeter. The Del Rosa Hotshot team continues their fire line construction directly on the edge of the fire. They worked on the west flank clearing and installing pumps and pipes. They continue this work on the north side. The Laguna Hotshots are assessing native plots along the Kuskokwim River across from Red Devil, developing a defensive plan if fire threatens that area.

South Fork George River Fire (#172) – 8.5 miles northeast of Georgetown in a modified response area and is estimated at 7,218 acres. 20 personnel affected. The Chena Hotshots will complete their setup and test their hoses on the south and southeast sides of the fire. They will then move to the east and north flanks to build and plumb fire lines. The Chena Superintendent will inspect plots and three nearby cabins for possible prep work.

Portage Fire (No. 169) – 5.5 miles southwest of Georgetown, south of the Kuskokwim River, in a full response area and is estimated at 859 acres. 33 people affected. Afternoon showers were reported over the fire area. The US Forest Service R-10 T2 IA crew continues to develop protection measures for parcels east of the fire. The southeast portion of the eastern finger of the fire remains the most active area, extending away from the river.

There are 29 additional fires burning in limited management areas that will continue to be monitored by the DOF Southwest Region office. The Division of Forestry and Fire Protection will continue to share information about fires in Southwest Alaska as it becomes available through reconnaissance flights and ground resources.

For more information on fire response management options in Alaska, visit

For more information on active fires in Alaska, read the Alaska Interagency Coordination Center's daily situation report available online here,

Categories: Active Wildfires, Alaska DNR – Division of Forestry (DOF)

Keywords: American Creek Fire, Cribby Creek Fire, Oskawalik Fire, Portage Fire, South Fork George River Fire