Evacuation ordered north of the Alaska Highway west of Tok as the Mukluk Fire burns

Residents north of the Alaska Highway west of Tok are ordered to leave now under a Level 3 GO evacuation issued Monday afternoon, as the Mukluk Fire burns through the Sundog and Midnight Sun area. Evacuees are being directed to Mushers Hall.

The two evacuation notices do not describe the same ground. The noon entry places GO evacuations north of the Alaska Highway from Sundog Trail to Midnight Sun Drive, and that is the only description the Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection carries in its own incident post. The 1:15 p.m. update reads: "Evacuations are Level 3 GO: Tok, north of MP1316.5 Alaska Hwy between Moose Horn Road and Sun Dog Trail. Fire is moving rapidly towards the Tanana River." Nothing in the record reconciles the two. At 1:40 p.m. the division pointed the public to the PBS WARN system for current evacuation status, telling people to zoom its map in on Alaska.

A downed powerline is actively arcing on the ground. The division asked people to avoid the area and not approach any downed lines.

"The fire is estimated at approximately 20 acres and is very active," the division said in its incident post. "Winds around 20 mph are driving the fire through the Sundog and Midnight Sun area. The Alaska Highway is currently serving as the southern boundary." The fire was first reported in a backyard off the highway near Sundog Trail shortly before noon. The cause has not been established, and no closure of the Alaska Highway has been reported.

The National Weather Service in Fairbanks issued a Red Flag Warning for the Upper Tanana Valley at 12:36 p.m., in effect until 7 p.m. Monday. It forecasts southwest winds of 10 to 20 mph gusting to 30, humidity as low as 20 percent, and highs in the mid to upper 70s. "Critical fire weather conditions are expected due to a combination of gusty downsloping winds from the south, low humidity, and unseasonably warm temperatures," the warning said. Winds are forecast to trend down Monday night into Tuesday. Burn permits have been suspended in the Fairbanks, Delta and Tok areas since Aug. 12 because of those critical weather conditions.

By 2:25 p.m. the response included nine smokejumpers, the CATG squad, local fire departments, numerous division engines and a helicopter, with Alaska State Troopers on scene. The division's incident post carried no update later than 2:25 p.m. as of 3:20 p.m. Monday.