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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

Otz Ne 551,066 ac
1995 · perimeter dated December 26, 2023
Katlitna43,813 ac
1994 · perimeter dated December 27, 2023
Fyu E 7630,483 ac
1994 · perimeter dated March 14, 2019
Hajdukovich21,060 ac
1994 · perimeter dated December 27, 2023
Tal Ne 3318,590 ac
1994 · perimeter dated December 27, 2023
Dck Sw 5017,026 ac
1994 · perimeter dated April 13, 2007
Fyu W 3514,491 ac
1994 · perimeter dated April 13, 2007
43222512,902 ac
1994 · perimeter dated February 12, 2010
Lick Creek8,547 ac
1994 · perimeter dated April 13, 2007
Gardner Cr8,281 ac
1994 · perimeter dated December 27, 2023
Tal S 277,351 ac
1994 · perimeter dated February 10, 2010
Gal Sw 946,516 ac
1994 · perimeter dated March 14, 2019
Btt S 496,083 ac
1994 · perimeter dated March 14, 2019
Btt Ne 266,027 ac
1994 · perimeter dated July 27, 2018
4315354,577 ac
1994 · perimeter dated October 14, 2008
Gagaryah 34,349 ac
1994 · perimeter dated January 25, 2010
4312993,718 ac
1994 · perimeter dated December 27, 2023
Gal Ne 383,082 ac
1994 · perimeter dated December 27, 2023
Gagaryah 23,078 ac
1994 · perimeter dated January 23, 2010
Ome Nw 603,053 ac
1994 · perimeter dated December 27, 2023
Windy Point3,035 ac
1994 · perimeter dated February 9, 2010
Otz Nw 702,794 ac
1994 · perimeter dated January 3, 2008
Fyu W 562,792 ac
1994 · perimeter dated November 13, 2008
Btt Ssw 552,223 ac
1994 · perimeter dated April 13, 2007
Mcg Nw 532,204 ac
1994 · perimeter dated April 13, 2007
4322581,666 ac
1994 · perimeter dated November 5, 2008
Otz Ne 851,527 ac
1994 · perimeter dated January 21, 2010
Gal Nw 581,501 ac
1994 · perimeter dated April 13, 2007
Gal Ne 351,472 ac
1994 · perimeter dated December 27, 2023
4322501,301 ac
1994 · perimeter dated December 27, 2023
Eaa Sw 371,091 ac
1994 · perimeter dated December 27, 2023
Eaa Sw 201,079 ac
1994 · perimeter dated December 27, 2023
4323331,041 ac
1994 · perimeter dated April 13, 2007
Tal Sw 461,015 ac
1994 · perimeter dated December 28, 2023
332557209,681 ac
1993 · perimeter dated March 10, 2009
Dckn19082,832 ac
1993 · perimeter dated April 16, 2007
33229257,992 ac
1993 · perimeter dated March 14, 2019
33224839,459 ac
1993 · perimeter dated January 10, 2024
Timber29,374 ac
1993 · perimeter dated January 10, 2024
Swift29,312 ac
1993 · perimeter dated January 26, 2010

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.