Smokejumpers, hotshots battle 52-acre Yenlo Fire near Talkeetna

A wildfire in the Yenlo Hills north of Skwentna grew from 10 acres to 52 acres overnight, drawing Alaska Smokejumpers, Helitack, the Pioneer Peak Interagency Hotshot Crew, and aerial tankers while crews scout remote cabins in the upper Susitna Valley for structure protection. Incident mapping lists the fire as human-caused.

A passing pilot reported the Yenlo Fire on the evening of June 9. By Wednesday it had burned through black spruce and mixed fuels. Fire managers said aerial resources moderated fire behavior and slowed growth, with minimal concern about overnight spread but continued interior heat.

No structures are immediately threatened, but crews are scouting and preparing for structure protection at cabins in the Skwentna and Talkeetna corridor. The fire is burning roughly 41 miles southwest of Talkeetna and 14 miles north of Skwentna, with smoke visible to travelers and residents in the upper Susitna Valley. Skwentna is a small, primarily fly-in community with scattered cabins and lodges that rely on aviation and river transport. Smoke from the fire can affect residents, visitors, and visibility for aviation in the Talkeetna area, which serves as a hub for tourism and transportation in the upper Susitna region.

Aerial support includes a retardant air tanker, water-scooping aircraft, and helicopters conducting bucket drops. The Alaska DNR Division of Forestry & Fire Protection manages the incident in coordination with the Alaska Fire Service.

Weather was expected to support moderate but persistent fire behavior through the end of the week, with high temperatures in the upper 60s and lows in the lower 40s.