Hot weather likely to fuel wildfire in south-central Alaska

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) – Meteorologists say a new wave of hot, dry weather is expected to fuel a wildfire burning on the Kenai Peninsula, and continued smoke and record-breaking temperatures are predicted for the Fourth of July holiday week across south-central Alaska, the Anchorage Daily News reports.
The newspaper reports that a wildfire has been burning in an area of the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge since June 5. Jonathan Ashford, a spokesman for the Alaska Incident Management Team, says that as of Sunday, the fire was at 106 square miles (274 sq. km.) with 17 percent containment.

Meteorologists say that by Tuesday, another high-pressure ridge is expected to move over south-central Alaska. Temperatures are forecast into the 80s for midweek and the Fourth of July holiday, when many Alaskans hit the roads to camp and recreate outside and when major events like Seward’s Mount Marathon take place.