Photo: Members of the TCC crew work along the berm, digging through soil and woody debris to locate additional heat and smoldering material. Photo DFFP
By THE ALASKA STORY
Sept. 13, 2026 – Firefighters extinguished a long-smoldering hotspot near a home on Midnight Sun Drive Friday morning as work continued on the 7,339-acre Mukluk Fire near Tok.
The fire was listed at 70% containment Saturday, with 31 personnel assigned, according to the Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection.
An engine and members of the Tanana Chiefs Conference Type 2 Initial Attack Crew responded after smoke was spotted rising from a berm made of soil, logs and vegetation.
Firefighters discovered that heat remained inside a large log buried in the berm and had continued smoldering beneath the surface for several weeks. When smoke began appearing at several points along the berm, crews removed and cut apart the logs, applied water and excavated an area approximately 10 feet wide, 30 feet long and 4 feet deep.
Fire officials warned that additional pockets of heat may become visible as fall progresses. Rain and cooler temperatures can reduce fire activity at the surface while failing to reach heat buried deeply in logs, roots and berms.
Anyone who sees fire or smoke should call 911 so firefighters can investigate before the heat has an opportunity to spread. Fire reports should not be directed to the local forestry office.
The TCC crew also continued suppression repair Friday, working with resource advisors and excavator operators along dozer lines. Crews pulled displaced soil, brush and vegetation back over areas cleared during construction of containment lines.
Recent wind and rain have further weakened burned and charred trees throughout the fire area. Many have little or no remaining root support and may fall without warning, potentially knocking down other trees.
Fire managers continue to urge hunters and residents to remain outside the fire perimeter, particularly north of Red Fox Drive and near the uncontained northern edge. Falling trees, ash pits, unstable ground and lingering hotspots remain serious hazards. Keeping clear of the area also allows firefighters and heavy equipment to complete work safely along roads and dozer lines.
Fire season remains in effect in the Delta, Tok and Copper River protection areas through 11:59 pM Monday, Sept. 14. Burn permits remain required, and anyone planning to burn must first check the current status at the Alaska Division of Forestry’s burn permit website.
As The Alaska Story previously reported, the Mukluk Fire began Aug. 17 in the backyard of a home near Sundog Trail and the Alaska Highway. Initial reports indicated the human-caused fire involved power lines, although the official cause remains under investigation. Fanned by strong winds, the fire raced through Tok-area neighborhoods, forcing evacuations and ultimately destroying 50 homes and 108 other structures.
