'It’s a little bit more wild here': Alaska's historical dryness fuels earlier, longer wildfire season
A meteorologist tasked with forecasting the Alaskan weather for firefighters said fire seasons are starting earlier, becoming more severe and then lasting longer
Historical dryness is fueling the wildfires in Alaska
Alaska's fire seasons are starting earlier and lasting longer. FOX Weather's Max Gorden learns about the state's dry periods, and why they are fueling the flames.
FAIRBANKS, Alaska – The fire season in Alaska is starting earlier and lasting longer.
Summer in the state is different from down in the Lower 48. The northern location of the state means the sun barely goes down in the summer. Those long days combined with prolonged dry periods can turn the Alaskan wilderness into a tinderbox.
HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHER ON TV
The roar of aircraft can be heard in the skies of Alaska as aircraft race to stop the walls of flames scorching some forests in the state.
"It’s a little bit more wild here," said Heidi Strader, the fire weather program manager for the Alaska Interagency Coordination Center.
According to some meteorologists, conditions are starting to become a little more extreme in the 49th state.
Alaska's Clear Fire burns more than 70,000 acres
Alaska’s Clear Fire burns more than 70,000 acres. Fire crews working on the blaze near Anderson, Alaska say rain has moderated the fire weather and allowed for progress.
"I’ve seen our fire seasons starting earlier, becoming more severe and then lasting longer," Strader said.
Alaska is also seeing more swings in weather variability from year to year.
"We’ve had some of our wettest summers followed by some of our driest summers," Strader said. "We’ve had lightning in places that normally doesn’t get lightning."
FIRESTORM 2022: ALASKA’S WILDFIRE SEASON SETS RECORDS
This year, lightning has been a big factor in Alaska’s forest fires with the state seeing thousands of strikes some days.
"It’s not that it’s unprecedented, but it’s very uncommon," Strader said.
Some have said it all points toward a shift in the weather in Alaska.
Smoky conditions in Alaska prove difficult for firefighting aircraft
FOX Weather correspondent Max Gorden says hazy conditions in Fairbanks and the central Alaska area have kept planes grounded. More than 200 fires are burning across the state.
"We talk about climate change, and up here we like to say that we’re kind of on the forefront of it all," Strader said. "And wherever warming might be happening closer to the equator, up here we’re seeing much more extreme warming and rapid changes."
No matter the changes, firefighters will continue to answer the call in a state where the battle of man against nature never ends.
Many areas affected by the fires are now experiencing a cooling trend with some rain. Firefighters on the ground said they’re hoping to make some progress, though it’ll take a lot more rain before the fire season is over.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX WEATHER UPDATE PODCAST
Be sure to download the FOX Weather app to track the temperatures in your area. The free FOX Weather livestream is also available 24/7 on the website and app and on your favorite streaming platform. The FOX Weather Update podcast also provides weather information for the entire country.