Mobile UPI  |   About UPI  |   UPI en Español  |   UPI Arabic  |   UPIU  |   My Account
Search:
Go

Fires blazing across Alaska

|
|
 
  
Published: July 9, 2009 at 8:12 PM

ANCHORAGE, Alaska, July 9 (UPI) -- Fires were plaguing the south central area of Alaska, including one that consumed more than 125,000 acres, the state Division of Forestry said Thursday.

Forestry spokesman Matt Weaver said the largest of the fires is the Minto Flats South fire. It was burning untamed about 13 miles northwest of Nenana and threatening about 70 structures and outbuildings, among them a drilling rig, the Achorage Daily News said. Some 190 firefighters, including assistants from the Lower 48, were trying to protect those buildings. The fire was sparked by lightning.

Anchorage was so covered in thick smoke city officials declared a health advisory Wednesday.

Hot and dry weather sent wildfires across the state, the Daily News reported, consuming thousands of acres of forest. By Tuesday there were 70 fires for a total of 363 this year, up from 267 by this time in 2008. They have consumed 629,730 acres, up from 24,912 acres last year.

Recommended Stories
© 2009 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.

Order reprints
  
Join the conversation
Most Popular Collections
The Tibetan Moniam Festival in China Super Bowl XLVI ticker tape victory parade The making of the Oscars
The Chicago Auto Show The Most Desirable Women of 2012 Tu Bishvat Migron settlement
Additional Top News Stories
1 of 25
Meryl Streep and Colin Firth attend the "BAFTA" ceremony in London
View Caption
fark
News: Two cars fighting gun battle on Interstate accidentally fire into car of innocent women. Fark:...
Dads, before showing "The Smurfs" DVD from your laptop at your kid's birthday party, make sure you...
It's a Jeep thing. You wouldn't understand
Baby shower ends with three people stabbed after a drunken argument between relatives of mom-to-be...
"Man charged with exposing himself to women while riding bike" which really is a lot harder than...
Florida man ran into his ex-girlfriend yesterday. Then he backed up and ran into her again. He misses...