Riley Fire Update, Saturday, July 6, 5:15 pm

July 06, 2024 Posted by: Alaska Complex Incident Management Team

Evacuation Status Lowered and Park Opening Planned

Today, Saturday, July 6, the evacuation status for the Campus Housing area of Denali National Park and Preserve is being lowered to Green – Ready status. Residents of this housing area may begin to return to their homes this evening. The park will remain closed to the public through Tuesday, July 9.

At 4:30 am on Wednesday, July 10, the National Park Service and Denali National Park Tours Doyon/Aramark Joint Venture will welcome visitors back to the park. Normal operations will resume, with the exception of Riley Creek Campground and Day Use Area, and the Horseshoe Lake Trail, which will remain closed due to ongoing firefighting and support activities in the area. The timing of the Wednesday opening is consistent with the recommendations of the Alaska Complex Incident Management Team working on the fire.

“We appreciate the hard work of the firefighters to reduce the fire threat to park facilities,” said Brooke Merrell, superintendent of Denali National Park and Preserve. “We extend our deepest appreciation to Denali Borough, American Red Cross, Salvation Army, Morning Star Baptist Church, Tri-Valley Community Library, Neighbor to Neighbor, and Alaska Baptist Disaster Relief who sheltered and fed many of our evacuees. The support and cooperation with our community partners through this challenging incident has been amazing.”

As the park resumes normal operations on Wednesday, visitors can once again look forward to exploring the Denali Visitor Center, enjoying dog sled demonstrations, and embarking on a tour or transit bus adventure deeper into the park. Tour and transit bus and campground reservations can be made by visiting Reserve Denali.

“We understand the impact that the fire closure has had on our staff, community residents, local businesses, and visitors,” adds Merrell. “Thank you for your patience as we diligently work to ensure public safety so we can soon welcome you back to Denali National Park and Preserve.”
Stay informed about Alaska’s current wildfires, red flag warnings, and more by visiting https://akfireinfo.com.