Mukluk Fire's south end contained; Midnight Sun stays closed until 866 acres are cleared

The south end of the Mukluk Fire near Tok is contained, officials said at a community meeting Sunday, but the Midnight Sun zone stays under a mandatory go order for about another week. Burned standing trees, hazardous materials in burned structures, downed power lines and hidden ash pits remain potentially deadly.

Operations Chief Abe Davis told the meeting, "All the way around the south end of the fire, this is now black contained. We're feeling comfortable to call that part of the fire contained." Updated numbers missed the planning unit, he said. They came Monday: 7,260 acres, 29 percent contained, 328 personnel.

Adam Kohler, deputy incident commander with Alaska Complex Incident Management Team 1, said crews removed the ready and set zones around Midnight Sun. The state lifted all of them Sunday afternoon; earlier postings listed seven.

The order lifts by area, not by date. Crews are clearing fire-weakened trees within 50 feet of homes and off driveways, and the state says the zone stays evacuated until all 866 acres are done.

"I hope the rain last night is going to speed that up, but I don't want to make any, any unrealistic promises. So right now I'm looking at next weekend," Kohler said. He added that crews reassess daily and four or five days is possible.

Davis said drought has burned out the shallow roots of spruce, so trees fall, pile on heat and reignite.

Roughly 350 people were assigned as of Sunday, about 300 of them firefighters, Kohler said. Two crews arrived from California on Saturday, the day it rained.

Northern Region Fire Management Officer Rob Allen counted about 100 homes in the 860-acre affected area between the highway and Red Fox Drive. Just over half an inch of rain fell Sunday morning, incident meteorologist Mike Ottenweller said.

AP&T's James Nelson said the Sourdough and Sanford lines need full rebuilding. The utility is assembling meter-base kits for temporary power before winter, and the incident team is escorting its crews into cleared areas so power returns before residents do.

A state Disaster Assistance Center opens at the Tok Visitor Center. Residents can apply for individual assistance capped at $22,400 for housing and $22,400 for other needs, state emergency management spokesman Jeremy Zedek said. Applications close Oct. 19; the hotline is 844-445-7131.