DisasterAtlasUSA

This is a record of past federal disaster declarations, not a forecast. Federal assistance figures are aid obligated under specific programs, not total damages. For current threats, check the National Weather Service and FEMA.

Home / Wildfires / Alaska

Alaska Large Wildfire History

Since 1980, 1,662 wildfires of 1,000 acres or more have been mapped in Alaska, 106 of them above 100,000 acres. The largest burned 558,929 ac; together they cover about 44,755,353 ac.

Fires by decade

'80
'90
'00
'10

What starts the fires in Alaska

Every wildfire incident on record has a cause code. Counts are of incidents, not acres — lightning fires are fewer but tend to grow far larger.

By broad cause
Human52%401k ac
Natural43%16.1M ac
Undetermined3%1.4M ac
Unknown1%783k ac
Specific cause, where recorded
Lightning614
Debris / open burning368
Natural (other)267
Recreation248
Equipment / vehicle use129
Firearms44
Arson / incendiary20
Railroad1

Source: National Interagency Fire Center, WFIGS incident records (WFIGS incident records, roughly 2014 to present). A specific cause is recorded for only some incidents; “Undetermined” and “Unknown” are the agency's own categories.

Largest in Alaska

832015 · 1988558,929 acBoundary · 2004538,652 acMinto Flats South · 2009534,912 acDall City · 2004500,352 acInowak · 1997489,738 acBilly Creek · 2004462,173 acFyu Ne 85 · 1990433,768 acNorth Dag · 2004424,463 acPingo · 2004356,476 acLittle Black One · 2009349,451 ac

All mapped large fires

Black Hills41,966 ac
2003 · perimeter dated August 4, 2022
Kerulu Creek41,014 ac
2003 · perimeter dated March 14, 2019
Big Mud40,439 ac
2003 · perimeter dated March 14, 2019
Sheenjek22,584 ac
2003 · perimeter dated March 14, 2019
Tsooktuihvun Lake6,676 ac
2003 · perimeter dated March 14, 2019
Iliamna5,653 ac
2003 · perimeter dated March 14, 2019
Tok River5,595 ac
2003 · perimeter dated November 26, 2004
Pass Creek3,646 ac
2003 · perimeter dated October 17, 2016
Tag River3,014 ac
2003 · perimeter dated March 14, 2019
Molly Creek2,384 ac
2003 · perimeter dated March 14, 2019
Teuchet1,880 ac
2003 · perimeter dated March 14, 2019
Albert Creek1,547 ac
2003 · perimeter dated October 21, 2004
Rex Bridge1,409 ac
2003 · perimeter dated November 26, 2004
W.Kamishak Bay1,285 ac
2003 · perimeter dated April 25, 2008
Porcupine1,195 ac
2003 · perimeter dated December 4, 2007
Okoklik Lake1,102 ac
2003 · perimeter dated November 26, 2004
Geskakmina Lake259,963 ac
2002 · perimeter dated December 8, 2023
Reindeer224,888 ac
2002 · perimeter dated December 11, 2023
Vinasale174,713 ac
2002 · perimeter dated December 12, 2023
Sischu127,581 ac
2002 · perimeter dated December 7, 2023
Moose Lake118,335 ac
2002 · perimeter dated March 11, 2009
Milepost 78106,950 ac
2002 · perimeter dated December 8, 2023
Colorado Creek81,686 ac
2002 · perimeter dated December 8, 2023
Yetna River80,992 ac
2002 · perimeter dated September 26, 2007
Spurs73,134 ac
2002 · perimeter dated December 8, 2023
Long Creek72,967 ac
2002 · perimeter dated December 12, 2023
Windy67,688 ac
2002 · perimeter dated December 8, 2023
Galatea Creek63,107 ac
2002 · perimeter dated March 14, 2019
Bear Creek62,615 ac
2002 · perimeter dated March 14, 2019
Khotol River61,500 ac
2002 · perimeter dated March 14, 2019
Big Mud40,673 ac
2002 · perimeter dated December 7, 2023
Tag River #139,641 ac
2002 · perimeter dated December 7, 2023
North Fork31,324 ac
2002 · perimeter dated November 24, 2004
Sulukna28,616 ac
2002 · perimeter dated December 11, 2023
John Hansen Lake26,032 ac
2002 · perimeter dated March 14, 2019
John Hansen Creek24,204 ac
2002 · perimeter dated December 8, 2023
Jim River23,558 ac
2002 · perimeter dated March 14, 2019
Holtnaka23,447 ac
2002 · perimeter dated December 7, 2023
West Fork Chena22,272 ac
2002 · perimeter dated November 24, 2004
Milepost 8522,057 ac
2002 · perimeter dated December 7, 2023

Source: National Interagency Fire Center, Interagency Fire Perimeter History. Only fires with a mapped perimeter of 1,000 acres or more appear; the state is inferred from the responsible unit code. A record of past fires is not a forecast. See About the Data.