You will notice evidence of fire damage from the Taylor Complex Fires, which burned 1.3 million acres. The fires closed the Taylor Highway for several days in the summer of 2004. Wildfires are common in Alaska from April or May through the summer months, depending on rainfall. Lightning is the most common cause of wildfire. The total number of fires in 2004 was 707, which is not unusually high for a very hot dry year. What is unusual is the acreage burned, 6,385,496 acres, making it the largest recorded fire season in Alaska history.
