Wildland Fire in Denali National Park and Preserve

In Alaska, fire plays a crucial role as a natural disturbance and is an integral part of boreal forest and tundra ecosystems. Lightning-caused fires, in particular, are an essential natural process that provide many ecological benefits. These fires help to reduce the buildup of dead plant materials, release valuable nutrients stored in the soil, and rejuvenate plant life by promoting new growth. This, in turn, contributes to the overall health of the ecosystem.

When a wildland fire occurs in a National Park, park managers quickly assess the situation and make informed decisions to protect the public, nearby park communities, and infrastructure. In addition to prioritizing safety, park managers also work to manage fire in a way that conserves natural and cultural resources, and helps to maintain and restore ecosystem processes that support biodiversity and ecological functioning.

Fire Management Agencies across Alaska have collaborated to identify areas of priority when allocating suppression resources (i.e., firefighters, firefighting equipment and aircraft). When a fire occurs in Denali National Park and Preserve, park managers will see in which of the following “Protection Zones” the fire lies to determine what the fire response may be.

• Critical Protection Zone – Fires in this zone receive the highest priority of suppression because it is an area of high human density with critical infrastructure.

• Full Suppression Zone – Areas that are assigned a high priority for suppression, but less than those in the critical zone. These are usually areas with lots of visitor recreation.

• Modified Protection Zone – Areas that fire managers focus on reducing suppression costs while protecting nearby resources that may be of higher intrinsic value. After Alaska's conversion date (usually around July 10th, when Alaska’s fire season has reached its peak and the potential for large wildfires starts to decline), the priority for allocation of available resources to this type of zone is lowered and is considered a Limited Suppression Zone.

• Limited Suppression Zone – Areas of land that have low density and varying resources to protect. In these areas, very few resources are allocated to fire suppression efforts, as the fire is largely allowed to take its natural course. Fire managers still continue to closely monitor these fires for changes that would require new management objectives.

For any particular fire start, as conditions change and fire response evolves, park managers may adjust strategies to manage the fire more effectively while monitoring the fire's behavior and potential impacts.

More Information:

• Alaska Wildland Fire Information – Information for the public on wildland fires and preparations throughout Alaska

• Alaska Interagency Coordination Center – More detailed information and tools about fire management in Alaska

• Air Quality across Alaska – Specific information about air quality and smoke in Alaska

• Wildland Fire - Alaska (NPS Alaska Wildland Fire Management)

• Wildland Fire Program (U.S. National Park Service)

• Learn about Wildland Fire across the NPS