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Watch: Aircraft attack wildfire near McHugh Creek

State forestry firefighters jumped on a backwoods fire near the popular McHugh Creek Trail that kicked up a large plume of smoke over Cook Inlet Sunday.

The McHugh wildfire was one of more than 100 new fires around the state that sparked up late in the week, following a three-day period with more than 45,000 recorded lightning strikes. State fire officials said Sunday they did not yet know the cause of the McHugh fire.

Officials closed the upper parking area for helicopter staging early Sunday as the fire was attacked by bucket drops and planes dropping fire retardant, officials said. The lower parking area had also been closed by Sunday afternoon.

Eight smokejumpers reached the blaze Sunday afternoon in an area complicated by steep terrain and safety issues, Mowry said. Also ordered to respond were two Hotshot crews and a 16-person, Type 2 initial attack crew from the U.S. Forest Service. The latter arrived shortly before 7 p.m. Sunday.

READ MORE: Crews battle wildfire near McHugh Creek

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