Alaska National Parks Wildland Fire Information for 5/24/2009

Date: May 24, 2009
Contact: Morgan Warthin, 907-644-3418

What happens when summer temperatures and blue sky days linger over Alaska? Throw a heat source, either lightning or human-caused into the mix, and wildland fires appear. Two fires in Denali mark the beginning of the Alaska National Parks wildland fire season.

Toklat River #1 Fire -REF# 146, EW70

• Reported on May 23, 2009
• Located about 35 miles west by northwest of Denali Headquarters
• Ignited by lightning
• Burning in tundra in a Limited Management Option
• Currently NPS and Alaska Fire Service staffs are assessing potential at risk structures.
• As of 11:30am today, fire was 150 acres, 58% active

Toklat River #2 Fire – REF # 150, EW74

• Reported on May 23, 2009 
• Located about 35 miles west by northwest of Denali Headquarters 
• Ignited by lightning 
• Burning in tundra in a Limited Management Option
• Currently NPS and Alaska Fire Service staffs are assessing potential at risk structures. 
• As of 11:30am today, fire was 110 acres, 10% active

The fires burn in a Limited Management Option where it’s exclusion may be detrimental to the fire dependent ecosystem. This option encompasses an area where fire occurrence is essential to the biodiversity of the resources protected and the long-term ecological health of the land.

Wondering where the fires are exactly located? Visit http://fire.ak.blm.gov/ and click on Maps/Imagery/Geospatial, Fire Information to view a map of the active fires in Alaska.

Information will be posted at https://www.nps.gov/dena/parkmgmt/firemanagement.htm soon.

For More Information,

Larry Weddle, Western Area Fire Management Officer, e-mail us 907.683.9548

Morgan Warthin, Regional Fire Communication and Education Specialist, e-mail us 907.644.3418