Second Fire in Two Weeks Ignites Near Ambler on Kobuk River

A second wildfire ignited Sunday near Ambler, a Northwest Arctic Borough village on the Kobuk River, less than two weeks after a landfill blaze burned more than 1,400 acres about a mile west of the community.

A Second Fire in Two Weeks

The Kugachevk Fire was reported at about 5:15 p.m. Sunday, June 14, roughly 3 miles south of Ambler on the opposite side of the Kobuk River. U.S. Wildland Fire Service smokejumpers and aircraft, including two water scoopers, prepositioned in Galena responded Sunday night. Firefighters working the nearby Kopshesut Fire spotted the new ignition after seeing significant lightning in the area. A helicopter assigned to the Kopshesut Fire launched to the new start and reported at 5:30 p.m. that the fire was about 1 acre, smoldering and creeping through tundra grass. Rain intervened before crews could engage. "Heavy rain moved over the Kugachevk Fire Sunday before smokejumpers and water scoopers could engage and significantly subdued the fire," the U.S. Wildland Fire Service said in a 7 p.m. update. The fire dropped to an estimated one-eighth of an acre. Firefighters aboard the helicopter assigned to the Kopshesut Fire planned to land at the site to check for remaining heat.

The Kugachevk Fire sits within half a mile of one Native allotment and within 2 miles of three others.

"This is the second fire to ignite in the Kobuk River valley near Ambler in less than two weeks," said Beth Ipsen, Public Affairs Specialist for the U.S. Wildland Fire Service. "The Kopshesut Fire began in the Ambler landfill on June 4 and grew to 500 acres within the first few hours as winds pushed it through black spruce and grass."

Where the Kopshesut Fire Stands

The Kopshesut Fire now stands at 1,447 acres and is 70% contained. Forty-two personnel remain on scene working to extinguish hot spots.