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Home / Wildfires / Alaska

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

Tik Hill3,583 ac
1987 · perimeter dated April 21, 2007
7320503,519 ac
1987 · perimeter dated April 21, 2007
Fbk E 1552,491 ac
1987 · perimeter dated January 19, 2024
Slate Cr2,216 ac
1987 · perimeter dated April 24, 2007
7310061,686 ac
1987 · perimeter dated April 21, 2007
Btt Sw 811,585 ac
1987 · perimeter dated January 19, 2024
Kyu Nnw 401,553 ac
1987 · perimeter dated April 24, 2007
7320611,409 ac
1987 · perimeter dated April 21, 2007
Dck S 351,384 ac
1987 · perimeter dated April 21, 2007
7320531,310 ac
1987 · perimeter dated January 19, 2024
Fyu W 371,134 ac
1987 · perimeter dated April 26, 2007
63101056,229 ac
1986 · perimeter dated January 21, 2010
Chp Ene 3444,749 ac
1986 · perimeter dated April 25, 2008
63209736,894 ac
1986 · perimeter dated November 9, 2021
63201028,045 ac
1986 · perimeter dated January 21, 2010
Fyu N 3723,688 ac
1986 · perimeter dated November 12, 2008
Mhm Se 2723,112 ac
1986 · perimeter dated January 20, 2010
Dck Sw 4717,216 ac
1986 · perimeter dated November 10, 2021
63100515,422 ac
1986 · perimeter dated January 21, 2010
63105315,285 ac
1986 · perimeter dated November 9, 2021
Cik N 4013,351 ac
1986 · perimeter dated March 14, 2019
Gal S 5111,888 ac
1986 · perimeter dated November 21, 2008
Cik E 3011,856 ac
1986 · perimeter dated November 10, 2021
Blueberry11,759 ac
1986 · perimeter dated March 14, 2019
Mhm Nw 2410,933 ac
1986 · perimeter dated November 10, 2021
Porcupine10,604 ac
1986 · perimeter dated November 9, 2021
Cik E 247,356 ac
1986 · perimeter dated March 14, 2019
Kluchay6,237 ac
1986 · perimeter dated November 10, 2021
Gal Ne 876,084 ac
1986 · perimeter dated November 9, 2021
6310435,947 ac
1986 · perimeter dated November 21, 2008
No Creek5,542 ac
1986 · perimeter dated November 10, 2021
Bear Island4,768 ac
1986 · perimeter dated November 10, 2021
Mhm Ese 234,560 ac
1986 · perimeter dated January 21, 2010
Rapid Creek3,968 ac
1986 · perimeter dated November 16, 2021
Dck Se 403,807 ac
1986 · perimeter dated July 28, 2020
Caribou3,783 ac
1986 · perimeter dated November 10, 2021
Susu3,591 ac
1986 · perimeter dated November 10, 2021
Gal Sw 653,367 ac
1986 · perimeter dated January 28, 2010
Mhm S 283,191 ac
1986 · perimeter dated January 21, 2010
6130092,845 ac
1986 · perimeter dated November 10, 2021

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.