Fire danger remains high as thunderstorms spread across Alaska

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – Summer is in full force across Alaska, and for many Alaskans, the past two weeks feel more like summer than most of 2023.

Anchorage reached 75° and above three times this month. We’ve only seen three days over 75° in June six times in recorded history. The overall average temperature for June is currently only about half of a degree above what is normal but is about 2 degrees above June to date of 2023. This month’s rainfall is also significantly lower than what most of Anchorage experienced last June. June of 2023 brought 17 days with measurable precipitation, this year, we’ve seen just four days with rain.

The dry stretch will continue with temperatures holding slightly above average for most of Southcentral this week. Be prepared for isolated thunderstorms near the Alaska Range and in the Copper River Basin on Tuesday.

The number of active wildfires in the state is up to 115 as of Monday evening, 21 of those are new in the past 24 hours. More than 5,000 lightning strikes were recorded in Alaska on Monday, following more than 6,000 on Sunday.

With high fire danger continuing, use extra caution to keep from adding any additional human-caused fires.

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