Published Saturday, June 8, 2024, 2130 hours PDT

Photo Credit: BLM AK Forestry & Fire Protection

A wildfire named the McDonald Fire is located in the Western Tanana Flats outside of Fairbanks, Alaska.

It sounds like it started as a wind-driven wildfire in a very remote area of a military training range (Fire #119) and was said to continue burning as it burns up heavily and dry fire fuels.

Eight BLM AK Fire Service smokejumpers were deployed in hopes of protecting a military infrastructure located near Blair Lakes west of the fire. They are being tasked with removing flammable brush and setting up hoses and water pumps in case the fire threatens the site, says the Fire Agency.

Smoke can be seen from the Fairbanks and North Polie areas on Saturday and is due to be still visible throughout the night into Sunday and for several days thereafter.

An air recon was conducted after 1630 hours this afternoon and BLM Officials estimate the fire has burned about 3.4 miles long and a quarter of a mile wide, covering about 750 acres. The fire is wind-driven with wind gusts up to 20 miles per hour from the southeast.

It is currently being pushed deeper into the Tanana Flats Training area but away from a group of cabins located more than five miles southeast of the fire’s head.

The fire was initially reported by a private pilot around 1320 hours today .

The cause of the fire is unknown and under investigation by BLM Fire Investigators. There was said to be no military training in the fire zone at the time of the fire igniting.

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