Wildfires continued across Alaska on Wednesday, with new fires raising alarms throughout the state.
A situation report from the Alaska Interagency Coordination Center said 40 new fires were burning Wednesday and more than 400,000 acres had burned so far this season in Alaska.
Near the village of Tanana, the "very active" Tozitna fire -- ignited by lightning -- had grown to 37,000 acres since Monday, the situation report said. According to the Associated Press, some Tanana residents fled that Interior community Tuesday.
Just north of Nenana, lightning on Tuesday started what officials are calling the Railroad 364.5 fire due to its proximity to tracks. Burning 20 acres, the fire was reported by a private aircraft, the report said. Three crews, three tanker aircraft and a helicopter were battling the blaze.
The Moore Lake fire, started by lightning in the Susitna Valley, has burned 25 acres. According to the report, residents in the area reported smoke west of their homes at Little Lake Louise and the Susitna River. Tankers and a helicopter have been fighting that burn.
The Nulato fire has grown 400 acres since Monday to 1,200 acres, the report said. Started by lightning, the blaze has surrounded the Interior Alaska village. More than 100 firefighters have been assigned to the fire. A nearby airstrip has been temporarily closed.
The Long Lake fire is at 17,100 acres, the report said. That fire is burning just a couple of miles from the village of Northway.
The Village Creek fire, near the Southwest Alaska community of Crooked Creek, had burned 4,500 acres and was as close as 2 1/2 miles from the village Tuesday. A passing thunderstorm dumped about an inch of rain on the community but not on all of the fire, the report said. Twenty people were working the blaze.
A blaze burning near the historic town of Iditarod has consumed 17,000 acres. Efforts to protect the town of Flat were also planned.
Other problematic fires were being brought further under control. The Sockeye fire near Willow, which burned at least 55 homes during its most active period last week, was 92 percent contained Wednesday, though hundreds of firefighters were still responding.
Matanuska Electric Association, which provides power to the Willow area, said the fire destroyed 22 meters and another 12 need repair.
It could be up to three weeks until power is fully restored, MEA said Wednesday. Members should expect up to a 10-day wait for temporary service.
On the Kenai Peninsula, firefighting efforts on two fires near Cooper Landing were aided by sunny weather, which allowed responders to tamp down hotspots previously masked by moist conditions, officials reported Wednesday.
The Stetson Creek fire was 60 percent contained, while the Juneau Lake fire was 40 percent contained. A total of 111 personnel were fighting those fires, according to a release from the U.S. Forest Service.
Also on the Kenai Peninsula, the Card Street fire near Sterling shrank by about 90 acres as crews continued controlling fire lines to prevent the blaze from destroying any more homes than it already has.
High temperatures and low humidity are expected to increase fire activity there for the next couple of days, the situation report said.
"This will again result in a potential for single and group tree torching along with the possibility of creeping fires carrying more over the next couple days," the report said. More than 400 personnel remained assigned to that fire Wednesday.