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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

Bering Creek146,118 ac
2000 · perimeter dated March 14, 2019
Spirit Lake98,250 ac
2000 · perimeter dated March 14, 2019
Grand Creek96,104 ac
2000 · perimeter dated March 14, 2019
Yukon Creek61,290 ac
2000 · perimeter dated March 29, 2007
Bearpaw Mt.36,777 ac
2000 · perimeter dated April 25, 2008
Tango Creek30,901 ac
2000 · perimeter dated December 12, 2023
Grant Creek20,121 ac
2000 · perimeter dated December 12, 2023
Foraker16,931 ac
2000 · perimeter dated March 10, 2009
Dall River14,467 ac
2000 · perimeter dated March 14, 2019
Pastoliak River12,128 ac
2000 · perimeter dated March 14, 2019
Otter Creek10,072 ac
2000 · perimeter dated March 10, 2009
Chitsia9,334 ac
2000 · perimeter dated March 10, 2009
Natlaratlen River8,541 ac
2000 · perimeter dated March 29, 2007
Box River5,600 ac
2000 · perimeter dated December 12, 2023
Upper Otter Creek5,204 ac
2000 · perimeter dated March 10, 2009
Wild4,502 ac
2000 · perimeter dated December 13, 2023
Tolovana Flats3,495 ac
2000 · perimeter dated December 13, 2023
Beaver Creek3,005 ac
2000 · perimeter dated December 13, 2023
Clear2,778 ac
2000 · perimeter dated March 29, 2007
Big Creek2,063 ac
2000 · perimeter dated December 13, 2023
Torgny1,283 ac
2000 · perimeter dated December 13, 2023
Kevinjik232,606 ac
1999 · perimeter dated April 5, 2007
Kink90,807 ac
1999 · perimeter dated December 13, 2023
Uvgoon Creek #288,640 ac
1999 · perimeter dated April 25, 2008
Melozi Moran59,187 ac
1999 · perimeter dated December 13, 2023
Lowerladue52,420 ac
1999 · perimeter dated December 13, 2023
Jessica49,334 ac
1999 · perimeter dated April 25, 2008
Witch47,779 ac
1999 · perimeter dated April 25, 2008
Pingo42,111 ac
1999 · perimeter dated March 13, 2009
Upperwestfork32,811 ac
1999 · perimeter dated December 13, 2023
Big Creek31,260 ac
1999 · perimeter dated December 13, 2023
Big `Ol Monster24,249 ac
1999 · perimeter dated December 14, 2023
Marshall Creek21,879 ac
1999 · perimeter dated December 14, 2023
Mt.Terrel21,778 ac
1999 · perimeter dated December 14, 2023
Beverly20,753 ac
1999 · perimeter dated April 25, 2008
Tolovana River #218,745 ac
1999 · perimeter dated October 15, 2008
Donnelly Flats18,720 ac
1999 · perimeter dated April 4, 2007
Beaver Creek18,037 ac
1999 · perimeter dated December 14, 2023
Birch17,548 ac
1999 · perimeter dated December 14, 2023
Tetthajik9,421 ac
1999 · perimeter dated April 6, 2007

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.