State fire officials say the Mukluk Fire has destroyed 44 homes in Tok, more than double last week’s early estimate.
Sam Harrel, a spokesperson for the Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection, described the loss of so many homes as a tragedy for the town, which has just 1,600 residents.
“It's the fire nobody wants to have start in a populated area,” Harrell said. “Wind-driven, rapidly moving through neighborhoods — not a good scenario. Forty-four primary residences, and Tok's a small town.”
Harrel said that figure represented only primary residences and did not include many other structures that burned, like garages and sheds.
No deaths or injuries have been reported from the fire.
The fire, which started Aug. 17, is only 29% contained, but cool, rainy weather has helped firefighters over the last few days. Some lower-level evacuation orders have been lifted around town, but a GO-level alert remains in place for areas north of the Alaska Highway, between Sun Dog Trail and Fifth Street and as far north as Red Fox Drive.
“We really don't want the public in there, because there's a lot of fire-weakened trees,” Harrel said. “Right now the firefighters are in there working to mop up a 50-foot-wide perimeter around homes that survived the fire.”
Meanwhile, representatives of the Red Cross, the Salvation Army and the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management have set up shop at the Tok Visitor Center through Wednesday.
Jeremy Zidek, a spokesperson for the state emergency management division, said Tok residents became eligible for assistance last week when Gov. Mike Dunleavy declared a disaster for the area.
“ There's a lot of help here in Tok for people that have been impacted by the fire,” he said. “Both the folks that had their homes destroyed, but also homes that have been damaged, smoke damage and so on.”
Zidek said residents have 60 days to apply for assistance, through Oct. 19.
He also said state officials plan to bring Federal Emergency Management Agency representatives to Tok to take a look at the damage. If damage from the fire qualifies, the state will apply to FEMA for more funding.