Smokejumpers were called in to protect the historic Sam Creek Cabin from a wildfire/NPS file

Though the Cultas Creek Fire was burning within 300 feet of the historic Sam Creek Cabin in Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve in Alaska, a creek and protective measures taken by smokejumpers were being counted on to protect the cabin that dates to the 1920s.

Four smokejumpers from the Alaska Fire Service parachuted to the site on Saturday to clear brush and set up sprinkler systems around both the Sam Creek and Ben Creek cabins as well as the nearby Ben Creek Remote Area Weather Station.

On Saturday the fire, which was spotted two weeks ago, was estimated to cover 7,000 acres. It was burning slowly and was 300 feet away from the Sam Creek Cabin, with the creek between the fire and the structure that Arthur Reynolds built in 1927.

The smokejumpers deployed and implemented full protection of structural sites in the limited response area. They set up a pump, hose, and sprinkler system at both Ben and Sam Creek cabins, and were greatly aided by previous protective measures done in the area. In 2018, the AFS Midnight Sun Hotshots set up a fire break between the Andrew Creek Fire and the Sam Creek Cabin, saving it from destruction during extreme fire behavior and conditions.

The Ben Creek Cabin site is currently set up with a pump, hose, and sprinkler system, and smokejumpers are awaiting potential advancement of the fire to take further structural protective action. If a rapid increase in fire behavior or activity is experienced, efforts will continue to be upscaled to ensure confidence in the survival of these historic sites. Helicopter support and a ‘boots on the ground’ approach are the next expected actions.

Warmer temperatures were expected over the fire area Monday, when isolated thunderstorms were in the forecast and expected to usher in a cooling trend.

Fire in Alaska’s boreal forest is an essential process that restores ecosystem health and helps maintain species diversity. The National Park Service works with its interagency partners, neighboring communities, and other stakeholders to balance the risks and benefits of wildland fire when making decisions on fire management. Land owners can decrease the risk to their property by taking steps to make cabins and other structures more defensible against wildfire.