Juneau, Alaska (KINY) – Denali National Park will reopen on Wednesday after a wildfire near its entrance forced a closure lasting more than a week during peak tourist season. Park spokesman Paul Ollig announced that the park will resume normal operations at 4:30 a.m. on Wednesday.
The Riley Fire, which started last Sunday and grew to about 430 acres, was helped by cool, rainy weather over the weekend. However, the popular Riley Creek Campground and Horseshoe Lake Trail will stay closed temporarily as they are being used by fire crews.
Alaska Division of Forestry spokesman Al Nash reported that firefighting efforts have focused on the fire’s east-southeast perimeter, near Alaska Railroad tracks and the Parks Highway. As of late Sunday, the fire was over 30% contained, but work remains due to the dense forest canopy preventing rain from fully reaching the ground.
Firefighters continue to patrol the perimeter to ensure no hotspots remain. Nash anticipates several more days of work on the Riley Fire.
Evacuation orders eased over the weekend, allowing employees who had been relocated to return. Electricity was restored to the park entrance area, though the outage led to some food spoilage. Park concessioners are now restocking supplies.
The National Park Service is seeking public help to determine the fire’s cause, which started along railroad tracks on June 30 between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. People who were on the midday southbound train or nearby trails, including Horseshoe Lake, Mount Healy, and Sugarloaf and Sourdough mountains, are encouraged to share any relevant information.
The closure occurred during Denali’s busiest time of year, impacting park revenue and local tourism businesses. Ollig mentioned that refunds have been issued for missed reservations, but rebooking opportunities this summer are limited.
