Recent Alaska Cruisers- Need Fire Smoke Update

[Oren]

How bad is the smoke in the air from the Alaska Fires for the Skagway/Juneau/Ketchikan itinerary? We are sailing in two weeks and are beginning to see comments on these boards as to visibility problems. Is the smoke so bad as to affect health or is it just obstructed views? Can you still enjoy the pure alaskan air?

[derf5585]

Wildland Fire Update July 16, 2004

from

http://www.nifc.gov/fireinfo/nfn.html

 

The Alaska Fire Service provides wildland fire management

from

http://fire.ak.blm.gov/

[RhondaPerr]

The only places we had trouble was Fairbanks and Denali.....Once we were on the ship we neither saw nor smelled the smoke.

[gaschatt]

I sailed 7/3-7/10 (Diamond Inside Passage itinerary). There was almost a constant haze the second half of the cruise(possibly in part, due to weather). The only place it was real bad and infringed on a good deal of the scenary was when we drove from Skagway into the Yukon(8 AM to noon on 7/6). It blocked out most of the views. I was told that this varies based upon which way the wind blows. When we got to Carcross they told us it had been perfectly clear early that morning. People who took the late afternoon train ride up there remarked that it wasn't that bad then.

 

Only noticed the smell when we left the coast (above Skagway), didn't notice any other time.

[jerfl]

Derf,

 

Thanks for providing the website links for the fire activity in Alaska. I leave in two weeks for Alaska and was wondering about the situation.

[Florida Beach]

I sailed 7/3-7/10 (Diamond Inside Passage itinerary). There was almost a constant haze the second half of the cruise(possibly in part, due to weather). The only place it was real bad and infringed on a good deal of the scenary was when we drove from Skagway into the Yukon(8 AM to noon on 7/6). It blocked out most of the views. I was told that this varies based upon which way the wind blows. When we got to Carcross they told us it had been perfectly clear early that morning. People who took the late afternoon train ride up there remarked that it wasn't that bad then.

 

Only noticed the smell when we left the coast (above Skagway), didn't notice any other time.

We also sailed the same week 7/4-7/11 (Sapphire Princess - Inside Passage). Totally agree, it's not that bad, only obvious when we were up in the air (helicopter to Glacier). When we landed on the Glacier, we were a bit disappointed since the soot had settled on the ground. However, the scenery was breath taking and the air was so clean.