A ``red flag'' warning was issued by the National Weather Service for the central Interior and the northeast slopes of the eastern Alaska Range, officials said. The warning was later reduced to north of the Alaska Range, said Pete Buist, a fire information officer for the Alaska Interagency Coordination Center.
The warning was to last through Tuesday morning, Buist said.
``A red flag warning is issued whenever there's unusual weather behavior that can adversely affect firefighters,'' said fire information officer Rick Barton.
Barton said a primary concern is that wind will dry out trees and ground cover dampened from weekend rain.
``Wind wicks moisture away from fuels,'' he said.
Wind also drives fire, he said, and firefighters took precautions.
Winds were blowing from 10 to 20 mph with gusts to 35 mph Monday. But higher humidity and lower temperatures kept fire activity to a minimum in most areas, according to Buist.
A major flare-up occurred, however, at the southwest end of the 64,000-acre fire near Bettles. Smoke jumpers responded and an air tanker dropped water on the site, Buist said.
Barton said attacking and suppressing new fires continues to be highest priority for fire crews.
Statistics released Monday show that 2004 has become the second-largest fire season since statistics have been kept, eclipsing the 4.2 million acres burned in 1969.
So far 511 fires have burned nearly 4.5 million acres. Alaska has 120 active fires, including six new fires Monday. A record number of acres - just more than 5 million, burned in 1957.
``We're hoping not to reach No. 1, but we'll see,'' Barton said.
Firefighters were able to strengthen protective fire lines as most fire activity slowed to smoldering and creeping.
``This week is seen as a test of how were going to do,'' he said. ``If we get through the red flag warning we are going to feel confident about the fires we have going. It's a good test for us.''
The Pingo fire, north of the Yukon River near Venetie, and the Central fire northeast of Fairbanks were more active, said fire information spokeswoman Becky Rine.
``Even though the winds are rough, hot and dry, so far things are looking good, but no one is letting down his guard yet,'' she said.
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