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Michigan Fire (AK)

Ended · 0% contained · 1,443 acres · started 2026-06-26 · updated 2026-07-16

Michigan Fire (AK) — Sentinel-2 true color Michigan Fire (AK) — Sentinel-2 SWIR (fuego) True color Fire (SWIR)
True color (left): as the eye sees it.
Infrared / SWIR (right): sees through smoke.

🟢 green = vegetation
🟤 red/brown = burned
🟠 orange = active fire

Imagery: Sentinel-2 (Copernicus). Drag to compare smoke vs. infrared.

Heat detections: NASA FIRMS (last 48h).

Quick facts

Location
28 Miles W from Coldfoot, AK
Cause
Natural
Complexity
Type 5 Incident
Fuel
Timber (Litter and Understory)
Behavior
Minimal, Backing, Isolated Torching
Jurisdiction
DNR · State land

Spanning 20 days of activity, the Michigan Fire has steadily expanded across 1,443 acres of state-managed timber in Yukon-Koyukuk, Alaska, maintaining an average growth rate of approximately 72 acres per day. Located 28 miles west of Coldfoot, this Type 5 incident remains entirely uncontained as it burns through litter and understory fuels.

Current fire behavior is characterized by minimal activity, featuring backing and isolated torching. Managed by the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, the blaze was ignited by natural causes on June 26, 2026, and continues to be monitored as an active incident.

In context

This wildfire burned in Alaska for 27 days. In total it burned about 1,443 acres — around 5.8 km².

In the Northern Hemisphere, wildfire activity usually peaks during the warm, dry months — roughly May through October.

The bigger picture in United States

Across United States, roughly 3,021,962 hectares have burned so far in 2026 — 45% below the two-decade average. Data from Copernicus GWIS.

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