Days of rain have dampened the big wildfires that exploded across Southcentral and Interior Alaska this summer, but burned areas are still smoldering, state forestry officials said Friday.
Meanwhile the state is tallying the costs.
As of September 18, expenditures of $168.9 million have been made by the state fighting wildfires, according to data released by the state Division of Forestry. This includes state expenses incurred fighting fires on federal lands such as the Swan Lake Fire, which is on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. Those costs will be reimbursed by the federal government as well as a portion of the state’s costs in dealing with fires on state and other lands.