Wildfire Season Expected To Start Later Than Normal

The federal government is predicting a normal wildfire season in Alaska this year, but it could be later than normal.

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The nation as a whole is below normal for fire activity thus far this year. That’s because most early fires rage through the Eastern U.S.

Frequent precipitation here in the East has downgraded the threat.

In parts of Alaska, the late snowfall is having the same effect.

“As we move through May, there’s below normal conditions in Southern Alaska because of the late snowpack,” Jeremy Sullens, an analyst with the government’s National Interagency Fire Center, said.

Sullens says the snow pack will melt away fairly soon, but it could delay the typical start of the fire season.

Last August, a fire south of Fairbanks torched more than 40,000 acres.