Tok residents return to ash after evacuation orders lift — Anchorage, Alaska

Tok residents return: ANCHORAGE, Alaska — ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – Evacuation orders following the Mukluk fire have been lifted in Tok, and many residents returned to find their homes reduced to ash.

The Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection confirmed that 50 homes were destroyed as of Aug. 30, along with 108 outbuildings, sheds garages and other buildings.

The home of Kristofer Bolieu and his family was among those destroyed. “It’s just metal and gray ash everywhere,” Bolieu said.

“It’s not something you’re prepared to see.” Officials advise those returning to the burn zones to avoid handling hazardous materials, such as sharp metals and dangerous chemicals without proper protective equipment.