Denali Park, AK – Evacuation orders have been issued for Denali National Park visitors staying in the Riley Creek Campground near the park entrance. The park service closed all visitor facilities and other operations in the park’s entrance area in response to the Riley Fire, which had burned 388 acres and was 5% contained as of Tuesday evening, park officials said.
Park spokesperson Paul Ollig said the fire was reported early Sunday afternoon, directly across the Nenana River from the McKinley Chalet and Glitter Gulch.
The park will also continue to remain closed to personal vehicles and day use visitors until further notice. Employees evacuated from park housing are being sheltered in various facilities in the nearby town of Healy. Park officials continue to work closely with the Denali Borough and other partners to ensure everyone is taken care of.
Smoke jumpers and crews on the ground will work through the night and are making progress. Four interagency hotshot crews are enroute to assist. Firefighter and public safety remain the top priority.
According to Alaska Fire Service spokesperson Beth Ipsen, four hotshot crews arriving from the Lower 48 today (Monday) will deploy on the fire. She said the goal is to herd the flames out of black spruce into higher terrain to the northwest — away from Alaska Railroad tracks, the Nenana River, the Parks Highway and the park entrance and its campground.
Stay informed about Alaska’s current wildfires, red flag warnings, and more by visiting https://akfireinfo.com. Additional photos and information can be found at Riley Fire Updates.
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Thank you, RV Travel! 🙂 There were fires in Alaska the summer (2019) we were there. Denali was not threatened then. I hope that the smoke jumpers are successful. Thanks again, have a great day, safe travels, and safe stays! 🙂
Yes, wish all the jumpers and fire fighters great success and safety !