A wildfire is burning in the northwest corner of Lake Clark National Park. The Kristin Creek fire has burnt about 30 acres, after a lighting strike ignited the tundra and black spruce Tuesday.
There’s a small airstrip, private mining camp, and cabins under the watch of 8 smokejumpers. Megan Richotte is the Chief of Interpretation for Lake Clark National Park and Preserve.
"They assessed those structures, they're doing brush clearing around them, as well as setting up sprinklers to protect them. The fire moved away from those structures all day yesterday, though the smokejumpers continue to be assigned to the fire and will stay with them for the time being," said Richotte.
Richotte says the fire will be allowed to take its natural course.
"The black spruce tundra ecology requires fire in order to regenerate and be healthy. When there isn't a threat to structures or people, we do let the fire burns. The park service and the state will be providing point protection to structures in the region," said Richotte.
The fire is being monitored by the state forestry division and the National Park service. As of this morning 245 fires have burned nearly 260 thousand acres across the state.
