Fire crews continue to make good progress fighting the Riley Fire adjacent to the entrance to Denali National Park and Preserve. Two interagency hotshot crews from the Lower 48, the Mill Creek and Golden Eagles Hotshots, are fully engaged in the incident and will continue their efforts into the evening. As of 6:00pm on Tuesday, July 2, fire crews have continued a strong response along the fire’s southern flank and have reached 25% containment. Fire activity today has been smoldering and creeping with pockets of smoke, with the fire still estimated at 388 acres.
Members of the Western Area Fire Management Team in dense spruce mopping up one edge of the Riley Fire as part of initial attack efforts on July 2. NPS Photo/Hagstrom
Park tour and transit bus service will remain suspended on Wednesday, July 3. All visitor facilities and park trails remain closed, and the park remains closed to private vehicles and day use visitors. Park campgrounds will close at 11:00am on Wednesday.
As of yet, there is no anticipated date when these facilities will open or operations will resume.
In honor of National Wildland Firefighter Day, we would like extend our appreciation to fire crews across the state of Alaska for the incredible work they do to protect our public lands. Stay informed about Alaska’s current wildfires, red flag warnings, and more by visiting https://akfireinfo.com.