Wind topples more than two dozen trees onto Tok power lines

More than two dozen trees came down on power lines across Tok on Wednesday. Alaska Power & Telephone shut off power to the affected lines so crews could work. Some of the trees were green, standing outside the Mukluk Fire's burn scar.

"Residents should remain alert for fallen trees and power lines throughout Tok," the Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection said Sept. 10. "Stay away from any downed line or tree touching a power line and do not attempt to remove it."

To report an outage, call AP&T at 1-800-478-7785, option 4.

The wind also paused suppression repair, the work of repairing bulldozer lines and other firefighting damage, north of Red Fox Drive, where fire-weakened trees have little or no root left in places and can fall without warning.

The burned area north of Red Fox Drive remains unsafe for hunters. Falling trees, ash pits, unstable ground and pockets of heat persist there.

The fire started Aug. 17. It has burned 7,339 acres and is 45% contained, with no growth since Aug. 27. Gusty winds flared hotspots within the burned perimeter on the western flank, sending smoke visible from town.

The fire destroyed 50 single residences and 108 secondary structures. An Aug. 29 update said AP&T had restored main lines, though some residents still lacked electricity. No update has been published since Thursday, so whether those lines are back on is not on the record.

Residents cleaning fire-damaged property should not bury hazardous debris, which can contaminate nearby wells, including wells serving neighboring properties. The state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and Team Rubicon are helping landowners; recovery applications and disposal guidance are at linktr.ee/2026MuklukFire.

Fire season in the Delta, Tok and Copper River areas runs through 11:59 p.m. Monday, Sept. 14. Burn permits are required, and burning must be confirmed as allowed at forestry.alaska.gov/burn. Residents should report fire or smoke to 911, not the local forestry office. The fire information line is 907-505-0362, staffed 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.