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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

Gal Ne 481,226 ac
1985 · perimeter dated October 25, 2007
5310281,217 ac
1985 · perimeter dated November 6, 2008
Wapoo Fire37,361 ac
1984 · perimeter dated October 20, 2008
Mud Fire10,026 ac
1984 · perimeter dated January 29, 2010
Kuyukutuk8,275 ac
1984 · perimeter dated October 27, 2021
Ian N 556,458 ac
1984 · perimeter dated January 8, 2010
Wtk N 604,470 ac
1984 · perimeter dated January 11, 2010
Mcg Nw 603,586 ac
1984 · perimeter dated January 29, 2010
Tract 122,963 ac
1984 · perimeter dated October 28, 2021
Ian N 1102,939 ac
1984 · perimeter dated January 11, 2010
Hsl S 102,773 ac
1984 · perimeter dated October 28, 2021
4140082,745 ac
1984 · perimeter dated October 28, 2021
Tal Sw 372,462 ac
1984 · perimeter dated January 21, 2010
Glacier Creek2,092 ac
1984 · perimeter dated March 14, 2019
Hus Nw 301,866 ac
1984 · perimeter dated October 28, 2021
Btt S 47 (St-414012)1,829 ac
1984 · perimeter dated July 27, 2020
Wtk Ne 501,651 ac
1984 · perimeter dated January 8, 2010
Bet E 111,605 ac
1984 · perimeter dated October 28, 2021
4140571,543 ac
1984 · perimeter dated October 29, 2007
Dck Ssw 351,446 ac
1984 · perimeter dated October 29, 2007
Btt Ne 221,352 ac
1984 · perimeter dated July 27, 2018
4140601,309 ac
1984 · perimeter dated January 21, 2010
Dck S 231,272 ac
1984 · perimeter dated October 28, 2021
Tal Ne 361,238 ac
1984 · perimeter dated October 28, 2021
Big W 17 (St-313001)33,534 ac
1983 · perimeter dated October 29, 2007
Munson Creek21,678 ac
1983 · perimeter dated October 16, 2008
Unk-E-5518,563 ac
1983 · perimeter dated October 20, 2008
Minto13,706 ac
1983 · perimeter dated October 19, 2021
Rosie Creek (St-311039)6,637 ac
1983 · perimeter dated January 23, 2024
Ian N 635,106 ac
1983 · perimeter dated January 9, 2010
Otz Ne 1002,114 ac
1983 · perimeter dated July 28, 2020
St-3040012,004 ac
1983 · perimeter dated January 23, 2024
Kennebec32,230 ac
1982 · perimeter dated April 25, 2008
Denali6,087 ac
1982 · perimeter dated October 18, 2021
2040051,726 ac
1982 · perimeter dated January 23, 2024
Dune Lake147,501 ac
1981 · perimeter dated April 25, 2008
Tatalina73,412 ac
1981 · perimeter dated October 12, 2021
Ani-Se 2557,594 ac
1981 · perimeter dated February 5, 2010
Ani-Se 3043,378 ac
1981 · perimeter dated February 5, 2010
Tolovana35,436 ac
1981 · perimeter dated October 13, 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.