July 1 - Fire in Denali! July 1 update

This is what we've been seeing and hearing all day:


Lots of spot fires to put out.

The Riley fire continues to burn in plain sight of all the lodges in The Canyon (aka Glitter Gulch), with cars, trucks, and RVs stopping along the only road through the area to snap pictures and check the progress of the fire.

Electricity is cut off to The Canyon area as well, where Princess Lodge, McKinley Chalet (Holland America's lodge in Denali), and other businesses are in the dark.  No food to cook; no tours to give; this situation is creating problems for some businesses.  We are at the south end of the park and have not been affected by the electricity being cut off.  Flightseeing tours, white water rafting on the Nenana River, and dog sledding demonstrations (DogGoneIt Tours) outside Denali are operating.  (NPS dog sled demos are cancelled as Denali National Park is considered closed.)  The fire has grown to 385 acres. 

Helicopters, using large buckets suspended by cables from their bellies, have been especially effective, according to firefighters on the ground. 


This helicopter draws water from nearby Horseshoe Lake and navigates through the narrow canyon to make dozens of water drops. Susan and I have been planning a Horseshoe Lake hike for awhile, but it's gonna be a while longer!  Fortunately the chopper pilot doesn't have to go far to refill the bucket.  

Precision water drops.  

Fire fighters are trying to keep the fire on the other side of that ridge.  All the developed area of Denali National Park (Visitor Center, Bus Depot, Murie Science Center, Aramark buildings and bus barn, as well as the Alaska Railroad train depot) are just to the left, outside this picture.  If the fire gets on the other side of that ridge, there will be BIG problems.  

We are in the flight pattern for the big, fixed wing aircraft, so I hear them flying over all the time.  There are 5 of these single-engine water scoopers, known as Fire Boss airplanes, that all come in at the same time...get into the pattern to drop their water...and then head back to refill.  Amazing precision!  




Firefighters are continuing to work near the fire’s edge, using hoses to deliver water and cool down the fire. They have made good progress keeping the fire away from the Denali National Park entrance, a mile south and to the west of the Nenana River. They are concentrating their efforts on the southern end and the flanks while allowing the fire to burn up a hillside where it could reach a scree slope, and stop its progression.

This big twin-engine airplane drops fire retardant.

Headed home to get more water.

Smokejumpers, aircraft responding to fire in Denali National Park - Alaska Wildland Fire Information

Crews fight rapidly growing wildfire near Denali National Park entrance - Anchorage Daily News; good map showing the fire location

Wildfire prompts evacuations near Denali National Park entrance along Parks Highway - Alaska's News Source

Needless to say, Susan is VERY busy in the gift shop.  On the other hand, I've got very few people to shuttle to the train station and no one going into the park for tours.  This is an amazing time to be in Denali, though I truly feel sorry for the folks that this is their "trip of a lifetime" to Alaska.  


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