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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

Monkey Girl37,343 ac
1996 · perimeter dated April 13, 2007
Deadman Island34,912 ac
1996 · perimeter dated April 13, 2007
Wein Lk24,275 ac
1996 · perimeter dated December 22, 2023
Circ Mountain23,669 ac
1996 · perimeter dated December 22, 2023
Yunle Lakes22,411 ac
1996 · perimeter dated April 13, 2007
Hillbilly Lake16,455 ac
1996 · perimeter dated April 13, 2007
Crooked Creek13,740 ac
1996 · perimeter dated February 25, 2010
Graveyard Creek 63136012,130 ac
1996 · perimeter dated December 22, 2023
Observation Post 2710,861 ac
1996 · perimeter dated January 2, 2008
Windy Creek10,436 ac
1996 · perimeter dated March 14, 2019
631588 Antelope Cr.8,989 ac
1996 · perimeter dated November 4, 2008
Yellow Creek8,569 ac
1996 · perimeter dated December 26, 2023
Tetlin6,404 ac
1996 · perimeter dated December 22, 2023
Sethkokna River5,970 ac
1996 · perimeter dated December 22, 2023
Mastadon Fish5,446 ac
1996 · perimeter dated March 14, 2019
Hidden Creek5,161 ac
1996 · perimeter dated February 24, 2010
David Creek4,795 ac
1996 · perimeter dated April 13, 2007
Sled Roads4,536 ac
1996 · perimeter dated January 21, 2010
Hochandoctla4,074 ac
1996 · perimeter dated April 13, 2007
Larsen Bay3,135 ac
1996 · perimeter dated December 5, 2007
631305 Stevens Cr.3,069 ac
1996 · perimeter dated December 22, 2023
Titna River2,810 ac
1996 · perimeter dated December 22, 2023
Wlk Se 402,585 ac
1996 · perimeter dated April 13, 2007
Frozen Calf2,546 ac
1996 · perimeter dated January 3, 2008
Michigan I2,404 ac
1996 · perimeter dated December 26, 2023
Hard Luck Creek2,256 ac
1996 · perimeter dated August 4, 2022
Sawmill Ck. #11,360 ac
1996 · perimeter dated April 13, 2007
Monkey Boy1,141 ac
1996 · perimeter dated October 14, 2008
6314841,140 ac
1996 · perimeter dated December 22, 2023
Gal Nw 631,031 ac
1996 · perimeter dated December 22, 2023
Kazakof Bay1,011 ac
1996 · perimeter dated April 13, 2007
Liv E 198,591 ac
1995 · perimeter dated October 15, 2008
Minto Flats5,382 ac
1995 · perimeter dated December 26, 2023
5323705,063 ac
1995 · perimeter dated December 26, 2023
5323912,926 ac
1995 · perimeter dated April 13, 2007
Gal Ne762,583 ac
1995 · perimeter dated April 13, 2007
Dennison Fork1,794 ac
1995 · perimeter dated December 26, 2023
Clearwater#11,578 ac
1995 · perimeter dated December 26, 2023
Mhm Nw 421,418 ac
1995 · perimeter dated December 26, 2023
Billy Lake1,342 ac
1995 · perimeter dated August 4, 2022

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.