{{Short description|Series of fires in Alaska, United States}} {{Use American English|date=May 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox wildfire | title = 2004 Alaska wildfires |image= 2004 Alaska fire season map.jpg |caption= A map of the 2004 fire season's effect on Alaska and the Yukon. |reference =<ref name=":0"/> |total_fires = 701 |total_area = {{convert|6600000|acre|mi2 km2}}+ | injuries = | fatalities = | cost = | is_season = yes | year = 2004 | season_name = Alaska wildfires }} [[Image:2004 Alaska wildfire graphs.gif|thumb|right|Graphs record the area burned and number of wildfires in Alaska from 1956 to 2004.]] The '''2004 Alaska fire season''' was the worst wildfire season on record in the U.S. state of [[Alaska]] in terms of area burned.<ref>{{Cite web|title = 2015 wildfire season could be Alaska's worst ever|url = https://www.upi.com/Science_News/2015/07/27/2015-wildfire-season-could-be-Alaskas-worst-ever/8941438012240/|website = UPI|access-date = 2015-11-24}}</ref> Though the 1989 fire season recorded more fires, nearly 1,000, the 2004 season burned more than 6,600,000 acres (10,300 sq mi; 27,000 km2) in just 701 fires.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title = Air Quality - 2004 Wildland Fire Season Summary|url = https://dec.alaska.gov/air/am/2004_wf_sum.htm|website = dec.alaska.gov|access-date = 2015-11-24|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150930042742/http://dec.alaska.gov/air/am/2004_wf_sum.htm|archive-date = 2015-09-30}}</ref> The largest of these fires was the [[Taylor Complex Fire]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url = https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/statistics/v12i8.pdf|title = Tropical Fire Report Series|website = USFA|publisher = Fema.gov}}</ref> This fire consumed over {{convert|1700000|acre|mi2 km2}} and was the deemed to be the largest fire in the United States from at least 1997 to 2019.<ref name=":1" /> Out of all 701 fires, 426 fires were started by humans and 215 by lightning.<ref name=":0" />
== Causes of the fires == The general weather pattern for Interior Alaska is May is wet, June is hot and dry, July is transitional, and August is rainy. Beginning in May 2004, the summer was extremely warm and wet in comparison to typical [[Climate of Alaska|Interior Alaska summer climate]]. The fire season was forecasted as average. Beginning in mid June, there was a drying trend, and was second warmest in 100 years. After the conclusion of the season, summer 2004 was described by a [[National Weather Service]] meteorologist as "three Junes."<ref>{{cite report |date=2004 |title=Alaska Fire Season 2004 |publisher= Alaska Interagency Coordination Center |url=https://fire.ak.blm.gov/content/aicc/Statistics%20Directory/Previous%20Years%20Data%20and%20FFR%20Handouts/Annual%20Reports%202004%20-%202014/2004.pdf |access-date=12 July 2024}}</ref>
Much of the rain over the summer of 2004 came during thunderstorms, which resulted in record amounts of lightning triggering many of the original fires near [[Fairbanks, Alaska]].<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=https://www.adn.com/science/article/hot-and-smoky-summer-2004-left-fairbanks-parched/2015/05/23/|title=2004: The year Alaska's Interior went up in smoke|website=Alaska Dispatch News|access-date=2016-09-15}}</ref> [[Wildfire]]s are prone to develop in areas with frequent lightning strikes.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Nicole Mölders|first=Gerhard Kramm|date=June 4, 2006|title=Influence of wildfire induced land-cover changes on clouds and precipitation in Interior Alaska — A case study|journal=Atmospheric Research|volume= 84|issue= 2|doi=10.1016/j.atmosres.2006.06.004|pages=142–168|bibcode=2007AtmRe..84..142M}}</ref> After months of lightning and increased temperatures, an uncharacteristically dry August resulted in fires continuing through September.<ref name=":4" />
== Impacts on climate change and landscape == [[Alaska]] has a climate that of the boreal zone, more commonly known as [[taiga]].<ref name=":2">{{cite journal |last1=Pfister |first1=G. G. |last2=Hess |first2=P. G. |last3=Emmons |first3=L. K. |last4=Rasch |first4=P. J. |last5=Vitt |first5=F. M. |title=Impact of the summer 2004 Alaska fires on top of the atmosphere clear-sky radiation fluxes |journal=Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres |date=27 January 2008 |volume=113 |issue=D2 |article-number=2007JD008797 |doi=10.1029/2007JD008797 |bibcode=2008JGRD..113.2204P }}</ref> The [[Taiga|boreal zone]], across the globe, makes up more than 25% of global forests, and when wildfires occur it is a top leader in carbon emissions.<ref name=":2" /> Approximately 12% of the world's carbon is stored in top layer soil and this part is the first to burn in any wildfire.<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal|url = http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1196&context=usdafsfacpub|title = Using hyperspectral imagery to estimate forest floor consumption from wildfire in boreal forests of Alaska, USA|last = Lewis|first = Sarah|date = 2011|journal = International Journal of Wildland Fire|volume = 20|issue = 2|page = 255|doi = 10.1071/WF09081| s2cid=14783462 |url-access = subscription}}</ref> These emissions have some of the greatest impacts on natural carbon balance, and Alaska gives its fair contribution.<ref name=":3" /> Typically Alaskan forest fires make up 41% of the [[United States]]' carbon emissions from wildland fires, but more recently with warming conditions and more wildfire occurrences these figures have gone all the way to 89%.<ref name=":3" /> Landscape is also changing as a result of wildfires. Less canopy is provided in the aftermath of a wildfire, hence soil temperatures may rise, rendering the area uninhabitable by certain species and allow new, non-native species to thrive.<ref name=":3" /> When soil temperatures rise, [[permafrost]] is also revealed and begins to melt away, which can lead to [[landslide]]s and [[erosion]].<ref name=":3" />
== Impacts on air quality == The 2004 fire season of Alaska had large impacts on the air quality and safety of nearby populations. These impacts most significant in [[Fairbanks, Alaska]].<ref name=":0" /> For over 15 days, particulate matter measured 1,000 micrograms per cubic meter, well over the [[EPA]] thresholds for hazardous and unhealthy air quality.<ref name=":0" /> To put it into perspective, an area deemed to be unhealthy typically has 65 micrograms of smoke particulate per cubic meter, while an area deemed to be hazardous has anymore than 250 micrograms per cubic meter.<ref name=":0" /> Normal levels in Fairbanks, Alaska are typically 10 micrograms per cubic meter.<ref name=":0" /> The main issue with smoke particulate is not the smoke itself but the matter that is mixed in. [[Wildfire]] [[smoke]] is usually made up of acids, chemicals, metals, soil/dust, and pollen/mold spores.<ref name=":0" />
== External links == * [http://www.fws.gov/fire/news/ak/newsitem12.shtml] The U.S. Wildlife and Fisheries outlines potential dangers of the new wildfire fuels that are populating Alaska. * [https://www.uaf.edu/files/snre/B114.pdf] The University of Alaska Fairbanks shows graphical data pertaining to the amount of land burned and past wildfires in Alaska.
==References== {{reflist}} * https://www.nifc.gov/fireInfo/fireInfo_stats_lgFires.html
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alaska fire season}} [[Category:2004 wildfires in the United States]] [[Category:Wildfires in Alaska]] [[Category:2004 in Alaska]]