Page 2 - Beth Ipsen News Today

There were over 30,000 lightning strikes in Alaska Monday through Wednesday, with the number of acres burned rising from about 1,500 to nearly 11,000.

Alaska Fire Service spokeswoman Beth Ipsen says the agency recorded 7,000 lightning strikes around the Interior overnight Monday.

Alaska wildfire managers have seen the least-ever acreage burned so far this summer, as damp and cool conditions have persisted across much of the state.

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Firefighters have nearly contained this year’s biggest wildfire so far. And rainy weather that’s scheduled to set-in tonight should help them control that fire near Delta Junction and dampen fire danger elsewhere around the eastern Interior.

“This is the first time that we’ve sent a crew to Canada in May,” said Lily Coyle with the Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection (DOF) has sent resources to the Canadian province of Alberta, where agency information officer Lily Coyle says they’re dealing with an unusually intense early wildfire season.

Twenty-three of the 25 fires so far this year were ignited by human activity.

Fire managers are encouraging Alaskans to be careful with possible ignition sources, such as chainsaws or ATVs.

Alaska fire officials brace for hotter, more intense fire seasons to come.