The National Weather Service has issued fire weather watches for the Susitna Valley and the Copper River Basin, as warm temperatures and dry conditions are expected to persist into the weekend.
The NWS says the conditions could allow for rapid ignition, growth and spread of fires.
The watches will go into effect Friday afternoon through Saturday evening for both regions. Temperatures in the that time are expected to be as high as 70 degrees with relative humidity in the lower to mid 20s. Northerly winds could reach as high as 25 mph hour, the NWS says.
The Alaska Division of Forestry also issued a press release Thursday warning of increased wildfire activity over Memorial Day weekend. Escaped campfires, fireworks, target shooting and recreational activities over the weekend increase the risk of fires staring and spreading.
“While Alaska has already had 150 wildfires reported this year, all the fires thus far have been small blazes that have been quickly brought under control,” DOF wrote. “Nearly all the fires reported this season have been human caused and were therefore preventable.”