Siruk Fire burns 550 acres northwest of Allakaket, 25% contained

Twenty-four smokejumpers and aerial water-scoopers worked the Siruk Fire to 25% containment as of early Wednesday morning. The 550-acre blaze northwest of Allakaket remains active, and fire activity is expected to increase Wednesday afternoon as temperatures warm.

Two Native allotments sit close to the perimeter. One lies roughly a mile north of the fire; another is about 4 miles northeast. The U.S. Wildland Fire Service said both are presently protected by the Alatna River and neither is threatened at this time.

The fire was detected late Tuesday, June 30, as U.S. Wildland Fire Service aircraft were returning to base for the night. "The prolific lightning storms from last week were the likely source of ignition," the agency said. The fire is burning in tundra tussocks and scattered spruce about 23 miles northwest of Allakaket along the Alatna River, with the head of the fire moving east.

Single and multi-engine scoopers dropped water on the fire yesterday while smokejumpers worked the flanks. "The initial attack was very effective in slowing the fire spread," the agency said. Helicopters with water-scooping buckets are available to support ground crews today as firefighters continue securing the flanks and searching for hot spots.

Public Information Officer Joan Kluwe is the designated contact for the incident and can be reached at [email protected] or (907) 356-5510.