Thousands of acres in Selawik refuge ablaze; origin of fire unknown

Smoke and flames rise from the Chiwaukum Creek Fire near Leavenworth, Wash., Thursday in this aerial photo. Ted S. Warren/AP
Smoke and flames rise from the Chiwaukum Creek Fire near Leavenworth, Wash., Thursday in this aerial photo. Ted S. Warren/AP

In the Selawik National Wildlife Refuge, about 30 miles southeast of Shungnak, a

According to Beth Ipsen, a spokesperson for the Bureau of Land Management’s Alaska Fire Service, the fire was first spotted by a training crew who flew over the area around 11:00 am on Tuesday.

Ipsen says the fire is running through an estimated 1982 acres of tundra and grass but is expected to stop when it reaches a snowpack nearby. The fire is contained in a valley at the bottom of the Zane Hills near the Selawik river.

No injuries have been reported, and the cause of the fire is unknown at this time. Ipsen notes the Alaska Fire Service found snowmachine tracks near the area.

 

Sign up for The Signal

Top Alaska stories delivered to your inbox every week

Site notifications
Update notification options
Subscribe to notifications