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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

Mcarthurcreek9,269 ac
1999 · perimeter dated March 14, 2019
Dennison/Taylor6,459 ac
1999 · perimeter dated December 14, 2023
Pah Flats6,115 ac
1999 · perimeter dated July 27, 2020
Bear Creek6,103 ac
1999 · perimeter dated December 14, 2023
Roundabout Mountain5,763 ac
1999 · perimeter dated April 6, 2007
Wood River5,467 ac
1999 · perimeter dated December 14, 2023
Mccoy Creek5,015 ac
1999 · perimeter dated December 15, 2023
Hodzana4,380 ac
1999 · perimeter dated April 4, 2007
Siruk Creek4,152 ac
1999 · perimeter dated November 21, 2008
Ft. Hamlin4,083 ac
1999 · perimeter dated December 14, 2023
Kivalina River3,401 ac
1999 · perimeter dated December 15, 2023
Kocacho3,171 ac
1999 · perimeter dated November 12, 2008
Minto3,046 ac
1999 · perimeter dated December 15, 2023
N. Fork Dag2,872 ac
1999 · perimeter dated December 15, 2023
Grand Creek2,654 ac
1999 · perimeter dated October 21, 2008
Salmon Trout2,403 ac
1999 · perimeter dated April 6, 2007
Glacier2,319 ac
1999 · perimeter dated March 14, 2019
Kiliovilik Creek1,983 ac
1999 · perimeter dated December 15, 2023
Hog Head1,762 ac
1999 · perimeter dated July 27, 2020
Gukhzna Creek1,626 ac
1999 · perimeter dated July 27, 2020
Indian Grave1,593 ac
1999 · perimeter dated December 15, 2023
Round Lake1,514 ac
1999 · perimeter dated October 21, 2008
Big Creek1,472 ac
1999 · perimeter dated November 4, 2008
Little Mud1,132 ac
1999 · perimeter dated October 21, 2008
Carla Lake54,432 ac
1998 · perimeter dated January 2, 2008
Gardiner Creek28,376 ac
1998 · perimeter dated December 18, 2023
Slow Fork Fire20,197 ac
1998 · perimeter dated December 18, 2023
West Fork5,632 ac
1998 · perimeter dated December 18, 2023
Walker Fork2,884 ac
1998 · perimeter dated December 18, 2023
Inowak489,738 ac
1997 · perimeter dated December 18, 2023
Simels347,861 ac
1997 · perimeter dated April 12, 2007
Magitchlie Creek280,495 ac
1997 · perimeter dated March 14, 2019
George River100,804 ac
1997 · perimeter dated December 18, 2023
Garfield Creek75,438 ac
1997 · perimeter dated December 18, 2023
Titnuk Creek62,075 ac
1997 · perimeter dated December 19, 2023
Many Lakes51,257 ac
1997 · perimeter dated December 27, 2023
West Fork Nixon47,627 ac
1997 · perimeter dated December 19, 2023
Big Creek44,242 ac
1997 · perimeter dated April 13, 2007
Reindeer35,536 ac
1997 · perimeter dated December 19, 2023
Kokhila Hills34,308 ac
1997 · perimeter dated December 19, 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.