A wildfire near the Northwest Arctic village of Ambler is now estimated at 1,500 acres, officials say.
The fire started on June 4 in the Ambler village landfill and was 30% contained as of Monday, according to the U.S. Wildland Fire Service.
Beth Ipsen, a spokeswoman for the agency, said that the fire was estimated at 500 acres on Friday, but by Monday, the agency was able to use satellite imagery to see that it was actually triple that size.
“The fire didn’t necessarily grow in size over the weekend,” Ipsen said. “Just better mapping from that satellite that flew overhead.”
The winds pushed the fire towards the Kobuk River rather than the village directly, but the flames did burn a nearby Native allotment, the agency said. Ipsen said a flareup on Saturday burned about 20 acres on the west edge of the fire.
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“This is still an active fire,” Ipsen said. “We urge people in Amler to take precautions, making their property safer from fire, moving that firewood pile away from the home, clearing some brush.”
Almost 70 Fire Service employees were responding to the fire and working on its eastern and western edge, the agency said.
The agency also warned that pollutants in the smoke can be harmful to people’s health, especially for elders, young children and people with respiratory conditions.
Warmer, drier weather was forecast for the area for later this week. Ipsen said that could lead to an uptick in fire activity and smoke.
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