A lot of wildfires this summer (Anchorage, Fairbanks: homes, cabin, moving to)

[RayinAK]

Right now (Friday 07-24-09 at 5:00 PM), it's dark around Fairbanks, although it's not cloudy and there is plenty of daylight left (above the smoke). It's raining ashes from the wildfires not too far from Fairbanks, all over the Tanana Valley.

This is how it looks. Boosted my camera's ISO to 1600 just to get a shutter speed around 60, handheld. Notice the orange glow.


No clouds, but real thick smoke blocking the sunlight.

[Moose Whisperer]

There's definitely a front moving through Anchorage right now. Winds have really picked up within the last hour or so. Hopefully it's headed into the interior and will bring rain and clear out the smoke.

[Nephler]

I read there has been over 1 million acres burned in the state so far.

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by Moose Whisperer

There's definitely a front moving through Anchorage right now. Winds have really picked up within the last hour or so. Hopefully it's headed into the interior and will bring rain and clear out the smoke.

I believe this smoke is from the Wood River fire, which is around 26 miles South of the borough. There are more fires at the other side of Fairbanks, by Nenana.

[GrammasCabin]

I figured you guys must be having a time of it up there. On clear days there is a smokey haze even far as southeast. Any homes or structures caught in the fires? Hope you guys all stay safe, sure would like to send some of the rain we've been having the last few days. My water tank's full, enough already.

[nwcountrygal]

Uhmm waiting in WA for it to explode if we ever get any rain with lighting.. soooo dry.

Leaving Next Saturday Wahoo finnally driving up - any areas you know of bad with the fires on Cassier or the Alcan I should watch for?

[DannyL]

we've been getting the smoke all the way down here...

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by GrammasCabin

I figured you guys must be having a time of it up there. On clear days there is a smokey haze even far as southeast. Any homes or structures caught in the fires? Hope you guys all stay safe, sure would like to send some of the rain we've been having the last few days. My water tank's full, enough already.

So far it has been limited spruce, birch, aspen, willow, and the usual AK trees, but anything could happen. We have had, possibly, the driest July in record, with lots of thunderstorms. Lightning has been the primary cause of these fires. My car is covered with ashes

A good thing is that a moose cow and calf decided to visit us a few minutes ago. My wife was getting ready to take the dog out, and saw the moose laying down at the end of the backyard, so she came back to tell me. I took perhaps 20 photos with the camera's ISO at 800, and a few look very nice. I will post one or two tomorrow, probably in the AK Photos thread.

Here is some recent news about the fires and their respective sizes (some are quite large):
http://newsminer.com/news/2009/jul/2...r-alaska-comm/

[ASpilot2be]

Originally Posted by Moose Whisperer

There's definitely a front moving through Anchorage right now. Winds have really picked up within the last hour or so. Hopefully it's headed into the interior and will bring rain and clear out the smoke.

Sure is windy. Today tower was report winds at 20 knots. It was about the same Wednesday as I was pushing out American.

[RayinAK]

The Wood River fire was producing a lot of smoke early this afternoon, but the wind changed direction and moved it away from Fairbanks and North Pole.

The center of the fire:

This cloud of dark smoke was moving toward Fairbanks:

Latest news about these fires:
http://newsminer.com/news/2009/jul/2...continue-grow/