The National Park Service is investigating the cause of a wildfire in Sitka National Historical Park Monday evening (1-6-25).
The fire began in the eastern corner of the park shortly before 4 p.m. in the roots of a dead tree, and quickly developed in intensity. Flames around 35-feet high were visible from nearby Sawmill Creek Road.
It was raining in Sitka at the time of the fire, but winds of over 40 miles per hour threatened to spread the blaze. Park superintendent Mary Miller says she authorized the local fire department to take whatever actions necessary to contain the fire, which was burning not far from a neighboring trailer park.
Miller watched firefighters work from across the street. She told KCAW that the fire “certainly could have turned into something.”
Miller expressed gratitude for the work of local firefighters, a dozen of whom responded to the call.
Fire chief Craig Warren says on roll up, it looked like the forest itself was burning, but firefighters soon discovered that coals and embers had ignited three additional ground fires downwind of the primary blaze. At present, there’s no obvious explanation for the cause of the fire. The park’s law enforcement officer had patrolled the area less than two hours before the fire was reported. Warren says it is plausible that fireworks may have smoldered in the stump since New Years, and high winds Monday afternoon stirred the embers into a blaze.
Sitka National Historical Park has over 100 acres of forested trails. Its renowned outdoor collection of totem poles was not threatened by the fire.
