On both fires, rain fell steadily throughout the day and humidity was high. These weather conditions significantly diminished fire behavior and wetted fuels. The section of the Parks Highway near the Bear Creek Fire with a 45 mile per hour speed limit for firefighter safety was lessened from mile marker 264 to 273.
A firefighter seeks shelter from the rain on the Saint George Creek fire.
Current Status:
Bear Creek Fire (#237) : On Wednesday, significant rain fell in areas of the fire where precipitation was previously spotty, reducing fuel available to burn in the short term. On the northeast side of the fire, where the fire crossed the Parks Highway, residual heat dissipated. In unroaded communities near the fire, muddy conditions prevented firefighter access and teams worked on developing strategies for when access is restored.
Saint George Creek Fire (#246): Thursday, forecasted weather conditions should enable crews to fly in and provide structure protection close to the fire’s southeast corner near Dry Creek. Achieving this objective has been prevented by the cloudy and rainy conditions which stopped hotshot crews from accessing this remote area by air. On the west side of the fire, an unmanned aerial system mapped heat signatures, enabling firefighters to efficiently focus on extinguishing smoldering ash.
Weather and Fire Behavior
Wednesday, rainfall was more consistent and intense than expected. Extremely high humidity greatly reduced fire activity. Thursday and throughout the weekend hotter and drier temperatures with lower relative humidity are expected to return and fire activity is anticipated to slowly but steadily increase.
Evacuations
On July 9, the evacuation status for sections of the Bear Creek fire was downgraded from set to ready. The new evacuation status applies to the following areas: Milepost 258 to the Rex Bridge (Jack Coghill Memorial) including: all properties accessed by the Kobe Road, Piano Ave, the Bear Creek Subdivision, the June Creek Subdivision, Magpie Avenue, the Rock Creek Subdivision, and the Ferry Parking Lot. Areas in READY should stay alert and monitor for evacuation status updates. Call (907) 378-7985 for evacuation information.
The Level 3 GO evacuation area for the Saint George Creek Fire was expanded on July 3. In coordination with fire managers, the Denali Borough downgraded evacuation status for the Bear Creek Fire area. For the most accurate information and evacuation status maps visit the Denali Borough website or Facebook page. You may also call or text the Denali Borough Fire Info line between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. at 907-378-7985.
State of Alaska Individual Assistance Program
Designed to help individuals and families recover from damage to their primary residence and other essential properties including Individual and Family Grants (IFG) and Temporary Housing Grants (THG). The registration period is from June 27 – August 27, 2025. Register at: https://ready.alaska.gov/Recovery/IA or call: 844-445-7131.
More information
Follow Inciweb, and updates on social media . For information about the Bear Creek Fire and Saint George Creek Fire, call 907-318-2018 or email 2025.bearcreek@firenet.gov.
For a PDF of this daily update click here. For a map of the Bear Creek Fire click here.
Categories: Active Wildland Fire, AK Fire Info, Alaska DNR - Division of Forestry (DOF)
Alaska Wildland Fire Information 