Brush Fires near Fairbanks??

[Mezzaluna]

I was half-listening to the news yesterday and thought I heard there were brush fires about 90 miles from Fairbanks this week. Did anyone hear about that?

 

Since I need to pack soon, this makes me think it's dry and warm inland. I have faint hopes this also means fewer mosquitoes. :confused:

 

Any news??

[42trvl]

I also read a clip in the newspaper about something along those lines this morning, and had the same thought about mosquitoes...

[Yukon]

This may turn out to be one of the worst fire years on record as well as the hottest summer in over 50 years. The fire danger is listed as Extreme for a huge area of Alaska, all of the Yukon and much of northern British Columbia. There are fires everywhere - along with many highway closures and other problems. The nearest fire to me is almost 300 miles away, but the visibility keeps getting worse and worse and is down to about 3 miles now.

 

Murray

[42trvl]

Well, more important than worrying about mosquitoes for visitors, hopefully for the sake of all who live up there and the beautiful country, the weather will revert to "normal," and the fires will cease to be a problem.

[Mezzaluna]

I saw on weather.com that the temps in Fairbanks will be in the 90s this week.... :(

[Yukon]

We had the most violent lightning storm I've ever seen last night. Three strikes within a few hundred yards of my cabin lit the forest, and I was out with the fire crews until 2 a.m. dealing with them and searching for more. The weather forecast is for more of the same into the foreseeable future.

 

Murray

[tinydancer21]

There is a big forest fire about 50 miles out of Fairbanks which makes visibility threw the smoke here in town super bad. You can only see like a quarter mile in front of you threw the smoke, it's even smoky in my office! Ugh! It sucks, if you have asthma it will be really difficult for you to breath in the interior. :(

[damerch]

We just returned from our land/cruise and when we were on the Denali Park Bus, the tour guide told us that they do not fight forest fires in Alaska. They consider them part of the natural order.

[Yukon]

>>...the tour guide told us that they do not fight forest fires in Alaska<<

 

That's an over-simplication. Forest fires are natural and beneficial and many are not fought, merely monitored. HOWEVER, if they threaten anything man-made (which many of the ones now burning are), they are aggressively fought. For information on the policy, see http://www.dnr.state.ak.us/forestry/fire/fireplans.htm

 

Murray

[tazboyles]

Hi Yukon

 

We are doing the car rental trip from Skagway to Emeral lake (with a stop for cin buns). Have you heard about any fires that might interfere or is it too early to worry about that? We are coming on July 19.

[Yukon]

There are no fires interferring with the South Klondike Highway yet, but July 19 is a lifetime away.

[lmcd]

Yukon,

A friend of mine and his son leave July 5th to drive from Tn to Denali and then use the Alaska Marine Highway to Prince Rupert and return to Tn. The fires in the BC area, will they interfere with their plans? I believe on their return is when they will be in BC the longest stretch of miles. Any suggestions on how to get around the problem if there is one in BC?

 

Same questions pertaining to the Fairbanks fires during drive to Denali?

 

Larry

[Karen and Mark]

Murray,

 

Are you going to be safe? Will you keep us informed? Read Fairbanks is having a record high temperatures this summer. How about you'all?

 

I just printed out your guide. I can taste the cinnamon buns now...yummm. We plan to rent a car and drive this beautiul drive in September. When do the leaves change color? ( Provided they're not all burned up .)

 

Again , Thanks Murray for being such a great guide.

 

 

Karen

Summit Southbound 9/3

( I miss my countdown clock);(

[tonymsrad]

Just back on the 29th from Fairbanks. I have never seen such low visibility, and neither had people who had lived there for 30 years. Looked like a dense fog all day long. Pieces of ash would land on your clothes.

 

Mosquitoes were not a big problem anywhere and we were in Anchorage, Denali (no smoke---great view of Mt. McKinley) and Barrow. No worse than a summer night in Tennessee!!

[kana1215]

The Smoke was so bad at the Denali lodge on Wednesday that we didn't even realize that there were mountains around us.....

 

Fairbanks was even worse when we got there (07-2) and Princess outfitters were telling guests that everything was ok and it was safe to go outside. If you watched the news or read stuff on the internet things were different. It was sad that they wouldn't cancel excursions......

[Yukon]

July 9 - I just returned from a 10-day circle tour. When I came through, there was NO smoke on the entire route from Anchorage through Denali and Fairbanks and down the Alcan to Whitehorse. There are still major fires burning throughout Alaska and the Yukon though, and a wind shift can change that situation again. Enjoy your trips!

 

Murray

[boten]

Yukon, this is very good news! Let's hope no shift in wind - at least until we are in Fairbanks - last 5 days of July.

 

We expect to be in Carcross July 19, driving from Skagway.