Alaska 511 lists new wildfire investigation in Interior Alaska

A new wildfire record appeared in the Alaska 511 system Saturday evening, marking the start of an investigation into a reported wildfire. The record lists no cause and no measured acreage.

Alaska 511 recorded the fire, named Stardust and logged as wildfire 21980, at 7:58 p.m. AKDT on Aug. 1, at coordinates near 63.35, -143.02. The last update, at 8:15 p.m. that evening, listed the incident at 0.00 acres, the acreage Alaska 511 currently records.

The record does not establish cause, containment, structures threatened, or evacuations. Confirmation of any of those details would require a separate release from the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, the Bureau of Land Management's Alaska Fire Service, or the Alaska Department of Public Safety.

Preliminary records like this one accumulate through an Interior Alaska fire season that has already produced larger incidents. The Starry Fire near Anderson reached an estimated 688 acres in June and prompted evacuations. Its cause remains under investigation. Lightning is the primary cause of wildland fires in Alaska, particularly in the Interior, according to the National Park Service.

Alaskans can report wildland fires by calling 911 or 1-800-237-3633.