Wildfire prompts evacuations near Denali National Park entrance along Parks Highway

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – A wildfire that has quickly grown to about 300 acres is threatening the entrance to Denali National Park on the Parks Highway and has forced the evacuation of several hundred people.

The blaze — named the Riley Fire — began burning shortly after noon on Sunday and by 5:30 p.m. was reported at around 350 acres in size.

The fire was first spotted near mile 239 of the Parks Highway, across the Nenana River from the town of Denali, a heavily-populated spot in the summer when tourists visit, and about a mile north of the entrance to the park.

No structures are immediately threatened by the blaze, officials said.

Denali National Park spokesperson Paul Ollig said that the blaze is within about a quarter of a mile from people and structures.

“The area where the fire is currently burning is up above the Nenana River in close proximity to the Horseshoe Lake Trail area,” Ollig said. “It is generally dense black spruce forest, and is right up against Mount Healy, so it does have some steep terrain that climbs pretty quickly in that area, once you’re across once you’re west of the railroad tracks.”

Ollig estimated that around 200 people are currently being affected by evacuation notices in the area, including 100 to 150 park employees and another 75 to 100 residents.

Other areas of the park near the fire are in “ready” mode to evacuate, Ollig said, meaning they must be ready to evacuate if the order is given. That includes campers in the Riley Creek Campground, which Ollig said is closest to the blaze.

The Bureau of Land Management’s Fire Service team said 12 smokejumpers responded to the fire via plane and another 10 were driving to the area to help suppress it.

Ollig said that tour and transit bus service has been stopped going westbound. Day-use visitors west of the park entrance are being shuttled back eastward, and “public front-country” facilities and nearby trails have been closed, including the Denali Visitor Center.

BLM said in addition to the smokejumpers, four water-scooping planes were on scene to help douse the flames, with two water scoopers and a retardant air tanker on the way.

The fire was reportedly burning an area predominantly thick with black spruce trees near the Alaska Railroad.

The Park Service said that agencies working to contain the fire include the Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection, Tri-Valley Volunteer Fire Department, and the McKinley Village Volunteer Fire Department.

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