Early Forest Fire Near Village Of Tetlin and Manh Choh Gold Mine At Mile 1306 Alaska Highway

 

Tetlin Fire, May 17th, 2024. (Alaska Division of Forestry, Kato Howard) 

Smoke from Tetlin Hills Fire visible south of Alaska Highway 

BY ALASKA DIVISION OF FORESTRY & FIRE PROTECTION on MAY 17, 2024

6:00 PM – BLM Alaska Fire Service Smokejumpers have deployed 12 firefighters to the fire after retardant tankers completed their drops, boxing in the fire. Retardant can only slow a fire’s progress. Firefighters on the ground are required to suppress the fire after retardant is used. Additional DOF firefighters from the Tok forestry station have hiked into the fire area. These combined forces will work late into the evening.

Location of Tetlin Hills Fire in relation to village and mine. (Division of Forestry) 

The Alaska Highway and the Tetlin Access Road remain open but motorists are asked to proceed with caution when firefighters and firefighting equipment is present.

4:00 PM – The location of the fire has been updated to 2.25 miles south of Mile 1306 Alaska Highway, burning 1.25 miles east of the Tetlin Access Road and south of the Tanana River. Tetlin Village is about 11-miles to the southeast.

An additional Helitack with two firefighters have joined the response. Both helicopters are conducting bucket work. Air Attack has also responded to coordinate aviation and ground forces. The fire is west of the Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge in an area requiring a Critical Response according to the Alaska fire response plan. Two retardant tankers are responding to slow the spread of the fire, now estimated to be 280 acres and growing to the south. The Alaska Highway and the Tetlin Access Road remain open. 

2:30 PM – A wildland fire was reported late Thursday evening visible to the south of the Alaska Highway near Mile 1294. The Tetlin Hills Fire (#069) is burning in the flats, a little more than a mile south of the Tanana River on the west bank the Tetlin River. Tetlin Village is about 3.25 miles to the southwest.  Division of Forestry & Fire Protection’s Tok Helitack is on scene Friday afternoon conducting bucket work as three firefighters from the helicopter cut saw line. It is estimated to be 50 acres and burning in mixed hardwoods and black spruce. The village and Manh Choh Mine are not immediately threatened. 

This will be updated as more information becomes available.