Drought in Alaska

[AlaskaHunter]

It has been an unusually dry summer for SW and interior Alaska.
Fairbanks Airport has now gone 29 days without rain.
This is the longest dry streak in the past century that has extended into summer.

Many tundra fires in SW Alaska which is very unusual.
The smoke drifted into interior AK.
Smoke makes laser rangefinders not useful.
Photo from this past week...

 

[AlaskaHunter]

Showers yesterday, then back to dry conditions into July.

 

[Dave N]

Hope things get squared away soon up there. Sure do miss the place.

 

[oxn939]

It has been an unusually dry summer for SW and interior Alaska.
Fairbanks Airport has now gone 29 days without rain.
This is the longest dry streak in the past century that has extended into summer.

Many tundra fires in SW Alaska which is very unusual.
The smoke drifted into interior AK.
Smoke makes laser rangefinders not useful.
Photo from this past week...
View attachment 226400

Yikes. That's barely VMC. Good news is, AK is doing better than the lower 48 in terms of drought; bad news is... everything else

 

[BearFoot]

Aerial spraying has been going on quite a bit over the Mat-Su & Anchoage since breakup. Easily see Planes dumping whatever. Last Week & now The afternoon rain squall's are back, along with thunderstorms.

 

[Salmonchaser]

First summer out of the last 20 I haven't been up, unbelievable weather you're having!

 

[AlaskaHunter]

No substantial rain since snowmelt in early May.
Fires to the SW (many tundra fires), west (Clear/Anderson), northwest (Minto Lakes)
so looks like a smoky summer.
A record over 1 million acres burned in the month of June.

 

[LuketheDog]

No substantial rain since snowmelt in early May.
Fires to the SW (many tundra fires), west (Clear/Anderson), northwest (Minto Lakes)
so looks like a smoky summer.
A record over 1 million acres burned in the month of June.
View attachment 227738

How about around Bristol Bay? Dry over there too?

 

[MTTW]

How about around Bristol Bay? Dry over there too?

Has been dry but a little moisture in the last week or so. Was bad smoke at times the first half of June with burn bans in place. Getting a little moisture now, like enough to keep fire danger lower but not enough to raise the creeks. This is in the Naknek area.

 

[ThunderNocked]

No substantial rain since snowmelt in early May.
Fires to the SW (many tundra fires), west (Clear/Anderson), northwest (Minto Lakes)
so looks like a smoky summer.
A record over 1 million acres burned in the month of June.
View attachment 227738

1 Million - dang!

 

[Salmonchaser]

Has been dry but a little moisture in the last week or so. Was bad smoke at times the first half of June with burn bans in place. Getting a little moisture now, like enough to keep fire danger lower but not enough to raise the creeks. This is in the Naknek area.

Hear there was/is a fire over near contact creek?

 

[MTTW]

Hear there was/is a fire over near contact creek?

I haven't heard the status of that fire recently, but it was making a lot of smoke for a while. The weather pattern looks to have changed now with at least some moisture in the forecast every few days looking forward. The smoke has been gone for a week or so. It was extremely dry the beginning of June, like I have never seen it.

 

[Salmonchaser]

I haven't heard the status of that fire recently, but it was making a lot of smoke for a while. The weather pattern looks to have changed now with at least some moisture in the forecast every few days looking forward. The smoke has been gone for a week or so. It was extremely dry the beginning of June, like I have never seen it.

So I've heard, hopefully the river doesn't get too warm.

 

[Dinkshooter]

I remember in 2009 it was the same way. Driving to the North Slope and there was active fire right up to the haul road, no one around except people driving through. I remember thinking this would never happen in the lower 48. There would be road closures and media, hype. But there was just flames and black.

 

[Bluffgruff]

Maps

Series of maps showing Alaska wildland fire management and fire information.

akfireinfo.com

 

[D4570]

My son's fire unit was called up and sent up there. Someplace in central AK.

 

[TLowell02]

My son's fire unit was called up and sent up there. Someplace in central AK.

What crew or unit is he on?

 

[AlaskaHunter]

Alaska now has over 2 million acres burned this fire season.
More than 170 fires actively burned Sunday, according to the Alaska Wildland Fire Information.

 

[Bluffgruff]

Alaska has chickenpox

 

[Dave N]

Damn!