Iconic National Park Closed Due to Dangerous Wildfires

A famed National Park has been closed since July 1, with no plans to reopen, as firefighters battle the Riley Fire raging just outside of the preserve's entrance.

Alaska’s Denali National Park and Preserve remains closed for the third consecutive day as the Riley wildfire rages just outside Denali’s entrance. CNN reports that the park currently has no timeline for reopening.

Evacuation orders were issued on Monday afternoon as the Riley Fire closed in on the park. On Tuesday, further orders were issued. “Park tour and transit bus service will remain suspended on Wednesday, July 3,” the park informed. “Park campgrounds will close at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday.”

As of Tuesday evening, the fire had destroyed 388 acres but was 25 percent contained. Firefighters are working tirelessly at Denali’s edge to keep the fire away from the park.

“Smokejumpers and fire crews, combined with strong support from aerial resources, have made significant progress, particularly along the fire’s southern flank,” the National Parks Service (NPS) said in a statement. 

Firefighters “have made good progress keeping the fire away from the Denali National Park and Preserve entrance a mile south and to the west of the Nenana River,” the NPS added. “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.”

Air operations on the Riley fire near Denali National Park. The Grande Denali Lodge says they are allowing guests to check in but are on generators at the moment. pic.twitter.com/PCtujxy85l

— Average WUI Habitator (@beerandcircuses) July 2, 2024

“The fire has already burned through most of the black spruce in the area,” the Alaska Fire Service told CNN. “It is now burning mostly hardwoods and brush, which helped moderate fire behavior. The winds, which are typically channeled through the Nenana River corridor, have been uncharacteristically calm since the Riley Fire started on Sunday.”

Park officials informed the outlet that the area hasn’t seen such a wildfire for 100 years. Such weather is remarkably unprecedented in this part of Alaska, though the state is no stranger to wildfires. Riley is one of 33 fires currently raging across the state, encompassing nearly 300 acres. The NPS reports that roughly one million acres are consumed by wildfires each year in the state.

It's Fourth of July week, and Denali National Park has been forced to mostly shut down due to the Riley Fire. #DenaliNationalPark #RileyFire #AlaskaFireService #WildfireUpdate #CommunityImpact pic.twitter.com/aqgau90rnC

— YourAlaskalLink (@YourAlaskaLink) July 2, 2024