Thousands of Acres in Selawik Refuge Ablaze; Origins of Fire Unknown

In the Selawik National Wildlife Refuge, about 30 miles southeast of Shungnak, a fire has burned through almost 2,000 acres since Tuesday morning.

According to Beth Ipsen, a spokesperson for the Bureau of Land Management’s Alaska Fire Service, the fire was first spotted by a training crew who flew over the area around 11:00am on Tuesday morning.

Ipsen says the fire is running through an estimated 1982 acres of tundra and grass but is expected to stop when it reaches a snowpack nearby. The fire is contained in a valley at the bottom of the Zane Hills near the Selawik river.

No injuries have been reported, and the cause of the fire is unknown at this time. Ipsen notes the Alaska Fire Service found snowmachine tracks near the area.

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