Authorities in Alaska are reporting an unusually high number of wildfires burning simultaneously across the tundra and forests of the state, and an exceptionally large number of homes and buildings have been damaged or threatened by the flames so far this year.
Wildfires are a common occurrence in Alaska, but this year’s fires started earlier than normal and have escalated quickly. A light winter snowpack and little rain in the spring left dry ground particularly vulnerable to fires that break out when lightning strikes, said Tim Mowry, a public information officer with the Alaska Division of Forestry.
The total area affected by the fires—roughly 624,000 acres—is not exceptional, but it is spread out over a larger number of separate fires burning in different areas, Mowry said. The state has seen 562 fires so far this year, and the bulk of those started recently and at around the same time.
“What is unusual is that we have almost 300 fires going right now,” Mowry told CNBC. He said 21 new fires were just reported just on Wednesday. The highest number of fires reported in a single day so far is 67.
Fires are not an inherent threat to forests or wild areas. They can actually be a good thing for wildlife management—animals such as moose and grouse benefit from the new vegetation that grows in the wake of a forest fire. But the threats to the state’s human population are increasing, especially as people spread further out into wilder areas, Mowry said.
From NBC News: https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/western-wildfires/alaska-wildfires-hundreds-blazes-burn-across-state-n382656