Several summer wildfires continue to impact air quality and travel across parts of Southcentral Alaska.
Lightning strikes in a remote area of the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge ignited the Swan Lake Fire in early June, burning nearly 143,000 acres as of Aug. 23. The incident has triggered periodic road closures and trail closures in Sterling, Cooper Landing and other Kenai Peninsula communities. At times, smoke from the fire has also reached Anchorage and beyond.
The McKinley Fire, which started near mile 91 of the Parks Highway in mid-August, has destroyed more than 50 structures and burned 3,752 acres as of Aug. 23. Lane closures have caused travel delays between Anchorage and Fairbanks, and Alaska Railroad service was interrupted on select routes.
The Alaska Travel Industry Association website recommends that travelers call ahead about potential schedule changes and detours in impacted areas of the state. Additional information is available at 511.Alaska.gov and AKFireInfo.com.