The Globe Fire as seen from an aircraft flying over the fast-moving fire at 7:36 p.m. on June 26, 2024. By Thursday, the fire was prompting evacuations along the Elliott Highway near Fairbanks.
About 70 to 80 additional people stationed at a camp in the area while they worked on a road construction project evacuated early Thursday, said John Perreault, a spokesman for the Department of Transportation. Estimated at more than 1,500 acres Thursday morning, the fire was first reported Tuesday at 1 acre with no flames and little smoke, but quickly spread through black spruce, fire officials said.
Efforts to slow the fire by air, with water scoopers or air retardant, were also hampered on Wednesday by reduced visibility and smoke, officials said.was in effect Thursday for areas north of the Alaska Range to the Brooks Range and from the Canadian border to McGrath, officials said. High temperatures and winds paired with dry conditions in the area created dangerous fire conditions. Ipsen said additional lightning was possible on Thursday, which could spark new fires.