Jul. 3—Hot, dry, windy weather fed several fires burning near Fairbanks and Healy in Interior Alaska on Wednesday after several days of cooler weather allowed firefighters to make progress.
As of Thursday morning, the Parks Highway remained closed in both directions after authorities issued an alert Wednesday evening warning that activity on the Goldstream Fire had closed the road between Nenana and Anchorage.
The 511.alaska.gov travel information site also warned drivers to expect delays near Healy as a flagger and pilot car direct traffic there.
The Denali Borough, where two major fires are burning about 40 miles apart, issued an evacuation alert late Wednesday for the Saint George Creek Fire, warning people to leave immediately on properties between Wood River and Gold King Creek and certain areas within a mile of the creek.
Residents under evacuation orders since last week on the Bear Creek Fire, however, were allowed to return home Wednesday. Local officials estimated more than 80 people were displaced by the fire and 19 structures including six full-time homes were lost.
The Fairbanks North Star Borough, where the Nenana Ridge Complex fires were burning about 20 miles southwest of Fairbanks, issued an evacuation alert late Wednesday for the Parks Highway between Miles 325 and 333 and the Nenana Ridge Forestry Road, urging people in those zones to leave immediately.
Another evacuation alert was in place between Miles 320 and 321 on the Parks Highway. Drivers were asked to exercise extreme caution near Skinny Dick’s Halfway Inn bar and gift shop.
The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for hot, dry, windy conditions Wednesday. A red flag warning will be in effect again Thursday across much of the Interior.
The state suspended burn perits in the Mat-Su, Copper River, Fairbanks, Delta, Tok, and Kenai-Kodiak fire prevention areas starting Thursday “due to an increase in fire activity in Interior Alaska and the relocation of resources from across the state to work these fires,” officials announced Thursday.
This is a developing story.Check back for updates.