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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

Roketaloi29,660 ac
1997 · perimeter dated November 21, 2008
Timber Creek27,215 ac
1997 · perimeter dated December 19, 2023
Mud Fire 73134925,220 ac
1997 · perimeter dated July 27, 2018
Dr. Beaver Creek21,122 ac
1997 · perimeter dated April 12, 2007
Nuyakuk19,411 ac
1997 · perimeter dated December 19, 2023
Trail14,897 ac
1997 · perimeter dated December 19, 2023
Moser Bay14,853 ac
1997 · perimeter dated April 13, 2007
East Fork10,388 ac
1997 · perimeter dated December 19, 2023
Hawk River8,469 ac
1997 · perimeter dated February 11, 2010
Peace River7,788 ac
1997 · perimeter dated December 20, 2023
Breast6,606 ac
1997 · perimeter dated March 14, 2019
Deadwood6,352 ac
1997 · perimeter dated December 19, 2023
Lockwood6,257 ac
1997 · perimeter dated July 28, 2020
Buck Mtn.5,146 ac
1997 · perimeter dated December 19, 2023
Tikchik5,088 ac
1997 · perimeter dated December 19, 2023
Reed River4,778 ac
1997 · perimeter dated July 28, 2020
Butte Creek3,463 ac
1997 · perimeter dated December 19, 2023
Paimiut3,459 ac
1997 · perimeter dated February 11, 2010
Camp Lake3,040 ac
1997 · perimeter dated December 20, 2023
Soonkakat River2,977 ac
1997 · perimeter dated April 12, 2007
Foraker2,929 ac
1997 · perimeter dated January 21, 2010
Chiniklik2,822 ac
1997 · perimeter dated December 20, 2023
Tough2,783 ac
1997 · perimeter dated January 26, 2010
Oklahoma2,549 ac
1997 · perimeter dated April 12, 2007
Tvativak2,401 ac
1997 · perimeter dated December 5, 2007
Dominion1,862 ac
1997 · perimeter dated December 20, 2023
Oskawalik1,749 ac
1997 · perimeter dated December 20, 2023
Shawnee Peak1,482 ac
1997 · perimeter dated December 20, 2023
Hess Creek/7314441,323 ac
1997 · perimeter dated December 20, 2023
Sheklukshuk1,273 ac
1997 · perimeter dated December 20, 2023
Kitalitna Creek1,263 ac
1997 · perimeter dated March 14, 2019
Bear Fire1,224 ac
1997 · perimeter dated August 4, 2022
Ungalik River1,181 ac
1997 · perimeter dated February 23, 2010
Kobuk Canyon1,062 ac
1997 · perimeter dated July 28, 2020
100 Mile Creek79,733 ac
1996 · perimeter dated January 2, 2008
Chitanana River58,037 ac
1996 · perimeter dated December 26, 2023
Big Creek47,831 ac
1996 · perimeter dated April 13, 2007
Slender Smoke40,534 ac
1996 · perimeter dated March 14, 2019
42 Mile Creek39,091 ac
1996 · perimeter dated April 13, 2007
Millers Reach 237,356 ac
1996 · perimeter dated April 13, 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.