By THE ALASKA STORY
Aug. 29, 2026 – Officials lifted the remaining evacuation orders for the Mukluk Fire at 8 a.m. Saturday, allowing residents to return to fire-damaged neighborhoods as crews shift from active suppression to cleanup and recovery work.
The human-caused fire, which began Aug. 17 near Tok, remains at 7,335 acres and 29% contained. A total of 269 personnel remained assigned to the fire Saturday, according to the Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection.
With fire activity greatly subdued, crews are retrieving equipment, disposing of woody debris and mopping up hotspots deeper inside the southern perimeter. Residents are being asked to give firefighters and heavy equipment plenty of room to operate safely.
Alaska Power & Telephone has restored electricity to the main lines serving the fire-damaged community, although some residents still do not have power.
Officials warned people returning to damaged properties that the immediate wildfire threat has diminished, but other hazards remain. Burned homes, vehicles and other debris may contain ash, sharp metal, chemicals and potentially toxic material that should not be handled without appropriate protective equipment.
Older structures may contain asbestos, according to the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation.
DEC recommends wearing sturdy footwear, gloves, long sleeves, long pants, eye protection and, when appropriate, respiratory protection such as an N-95 mask while working around burned debris and ash.
Residents should also watch for unstable trees, weakened root systems, concealed ash pits and ground that may have become unstable or eroded. Wind and rain can cause damaged trees to fall or further weaken burned soil.
The Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management is working with DEC’s Solid Waste Program to develop a plan to help property owners dispose of fire-damaged and destroyed materials.
Although residents are being allowed home and fire behavior is expected to remain subdued, state officials cautioned that the wildfire season is not over.
The Division of Forestry and Fire Protection is extending the official fire season in the Delta, Tok and Copper River protection areas because of continued dry conditions and an elevated risk of new wildfires.
The extension begins Tuesday, Sept. 1, and remains in effect through 11:59 pm Monday, Sept. 14. Burn permits and other seasonal fire-prevention requirements will remain in force during that period.
No rain fell over the Mukluk Fire on Friday. A cold front moving through Saturday was expected to bring cooler temperatures, scattered morning showers and gusty northwest winds. Cooler conditions will linger into early Sunday before sunny, warmer and drier weather returns.
Temperatures are forecast to fall by about 10 degrees Monday, when wind gusts could reach 30 mph. Despite the changing weather, officials expect fire activity to remain subdued.
