Division of Forestry responds to tree fire in Denali State Park

A small fire was reported near Byers Lake  in Denali State Park early Thursday morning.

Tom Greiling, fire  prevention officer for Mat Su Forestry, says that the fire was very small but had started underneath a tree near the Byers Loop Trail along the northwest shore of the lake.

He says that this year, in the Mat Su area,  there have been a number of unextinguished campfires and people have been starting fires underneath trees.

Earlier this season there was a small but very expensive fire at Ruby Lake; another one occurred at Lazy Mountain where someone started a fire under a spruce tree.

An engine crew responded to the fire at Byers Lake to make sure the fire was completely extinguished. Greiling says they are looking for the party responsible for starting the fire that could have easily gotten out of control within the state park.

Greiling says that Division of Forestry tries to go after those that have negligently started such fires.  He gives a warning that people can be criminally charged for such acts and judges, in the past, have been known to throw people in jail for 10 days if they are found guilty.

The division of forestry is trying to get the word out for Fourth of July on fire prevention.  They ask residents to be extra diligent with campground fires and fireworks. People need to make sure to completely extinguish any fire, report out-of-control fires, only light fireworks in areas where they are legally permissible and do not leave any fire unattended.