On May 24, a lightning strike started a wildfire on the Yukon-Charley River National Preserve, East of Trout Creek and South of the Yukon River. The fire is torching individual spruce trees and burning downhill in the tundra. As of May 26, the fire is estimated to be 250 acres and is threatening a preserve cabin. Four firefighters are in place and have implemented a structure protection plan.
Once the fire is no longer threatening the structure, the National Park Service will allow the fire to take its natural course. The fire will be mapped and monitored from the air, documenting fire behavior observations. Smoke will be visible from the Yukon River or when flying into the preserve.
Lightning caused fires are not uncommon in the Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve. Over the past 10 years, 30 fires have ignited by lightning. In the boreal forests of the preserve, fire is a natural process that restores ecosystem health and wildfire habitat.
Scattered showers and some thunderstorms may occur in the interior this week. This will moderate fire behavior slightly.
The 1450 acres Seventy Mile Fire is burning two miles south of the Yukon-Charley Rivers Preserve boundary. No structures or allotments are threatened within the preserve.
For statewide wildfire information, visit: http://akfireinfo.com/.
Additional park information can be obtained at the Visitor Center between 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. or by calling (907) 459-3730
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
