"Maid in Japan" was parked at Nenana (65 km southwest), but had to be evacuated from there because the airfield was threatened by the then rapidly advancing Parks Highway Fire. It is seen here taxiing in at Fairbanks after completing the short hop to safety from Nenana.

Unusual colours on this Everts tanker. Operating for them since 1993 but still not fully painted.

"Salmon Ella" seen in better days, parked at Everts' home base. Amazingly this old workhorse was still soldiering on with Everts when on 16 July 2018 it had to make a forced landing at Manley Hot Springs, AK, sustaining serious damage to nose and cockpit. The wreck was dismantled and salvaged, with plans to repair it. Hopefully this wonderful Curtiss will return to the air again one day.

Engine #2 running and engine #1 just springing to life.

Very nice nose art on this Everts DC-6, with Howard Hughes staring down at you. The aircraft is named after the 2004 biographical movie about him, starring Leonardo DiCaprio as "The Aviator".

Fairly recent acquisition for Everts Air Fuel, taken over from Northern Air Cargo the year before. It's named "The Aviator", after the 2004 biographical movie about Howard Hughes.

Previously an EMB-120RT for Comair and United Express, and still in basic UE colours. Converted to EMB-120FC full cargo version for Everts in Feb 2005.

At Nenana Airport at 22:45, "Maid in Japan" is watching the horror of the raging Parks Highway Fire that approaches it from the south. The fire started only 7 hours earlier and at the moment of the photo it is still about 16 km (10 miles) away. But two days later it would burn the trees in the background, and the airport and part of the city needed to be evacuated. The fire's massive smoke plumes are still lit by the setting sun.

It was getting really late at 22:41, a bit too late for good photography even in Alaska, but there was still just enough light to capture Aero-Flite's Tanker 264 as it overflew Nenana Airport on its way south to deliver another load of water on the flames of the Parks Highway Fire. This fire eventually became a major wildfire, raging intensely for more than four weeks, during which it consumed 467 km² (115,500 acres) of forest south and east of Nenana. It wasn't until 1 Nov 2006 before it was officially declared "out". It was by far the largest wildfire in Alaska in 2006.

While battling the Parks Highway Fire, Evergreen's Bell 212 N16973 has just reloaded its Bambi bucket for the umpteenth time, this time in a small pond beside the road, just north of the fire area. This fire eventually became a major wildfire, raging intensely for more than four weeks, during which it consumed 467 km² (115,500 acres) of forest south and east of Nenana. It wasn't until 1 Nov 2006 before it was officially declared "out". It was by far the largest wildfire in Alaska in 2006.

Ecureuil N68CQ made several passes at a low altitude over the beginnings of the Parks Highway Fire. It carried the incident commander who was checking out the fire, and flew along the fire's perimeter to map its size using GPS equipment. This fire eventually became a major wildfire, raging intensely for more than four weeks, during which it consumed 467 km² (115,500 acres) of forest south and east of Nenana. It wasn't until 1 Nov 2006 before it was officially declared "out". It was by far the largest wildfire in Alaska in 2006.

Tanker 51 preparing to drop a load of retardant on the beginnings of the Parks Highway Fire. This fire eventually became a major wildfire, raging intensely for more than four weeks, during which it consumed 467 km² (115,500 acres) of forest south and east of Nenana. It wasn't until 1 Nov 2006 before it was officially declared "out". It was by far the largest wildfire in Alaska in 2006.

An Era Bell hauling its filled Bambi bucket to protect a structure while battling the beginnings of the Parks Highway Fire. This fire eventually became a major wildfire, raging intensely for more than four weeks, during which it consumed 467 km² (115,500 acres) of forest south and east of Nenana. It wasn't until 1 Nov 2006 before it was officially declared "out". It was by far the largest wildfire in Alaska in 2006.

Thanks to the long Alaskan days, we were able to continue our photography until the very last moment. Aero-Flite's Tanker 267 gave us a wonderful opportunity at 10 pm, with the setting sun reflecting in its prop blades. It had just made a drop on the raging Parks Highway Fire and is passing low overhead, on its way to Minto Lake, to scoop up another load of water to drop on the rapidly-growing wildfire.

The four Pratt & Whitney R2800 radials make a wonderful noise as Tanker 46 is making a left turn, preparing to drop its load of retardant on the first beginnings of the Parks Highway Fire. This fire eventually became a major wildfire, raging intensely for more than four weeks, during which it consumed 467 km² (115,500 acres) of forest south and east of Nenana. It wasn't until 1 Nov 2006 before it was officially declared "out". It was by far the largest wildfire in Alaska in 2006.

Only two weeks before this photo was taken, on 26 May 2006, this nice Widgeon landed on a lake near Willow, AK with extended landing gear. It immediately nosed over and sustained significant damage to nose and cockpit. It was salvaged and trucked to the airstrip at Willow, AK, and it is seen here with the damage hidden under a tarpaulin and the registration taped over. Later in 2006 it was dismantled and trucked to Victoria, BC, Canada for repairs by Victoria Air Maintenance. With the repairs completed, N141R was flown back to its owner in Alaska on 17 Feb 2009, still in Royal Navy markings.

Docked at Willow airport's seaplane base, on the west side of the Parks Highway (the airstrip is on the east side).