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HEALY, Alaska – As of today, Denali National Park and Preserve is open and returning to normal operations. The National Park Service and Denali National Park Tours Doyon/Aramark Joint Venture welcomed visitors back to the park this morning. However, Riley Creek Campground, Riley Creek Day Use Area, the Horseshoe Lake Trail, and Mt. Healy Overlook trail will remain closed due to firefighting support activities in the area. Furthermore, the Alaska Railroad and Denali Depot returned to normal full-service operations on this morning. 

Go to the Denali National Park and Preserve website for additional information. Park Information Line: 907-683-9532, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., daily. 

Firefighters continued to mop-up the fire’s edge yesterday with the assistance of un-crewed aircraft systems (UAS) infrared heat sensing technology. Minimal smoke is visible; however, smoke may be evident as temperatures increase in the coming days. The Riley Fire will transition tomorrow at 7:00 a.m to a type 3 organization, with many Alaska Incident Management Team 2 members remaining to assist with fire management.

Weather: A slight warming and drying trend begins today and is expected to last until the weekend. Winds will be out of the southwest 10-15 mph with a 10% chance of precipitation.  

Fire Investigation: The National Park Service is requesting information from anyone who may have witnessed the initial stages of the Riley Fire, specifically between the hours of 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 30, 2024. Anyone who was in the vicinity of the Horseshoe Lake Trail, Mt. Healy Trail, Sugarloaf Trail, or on the southbound passenger train during that time and has information relating to the fire should contact the Tip Line at 888-653-0009.

Evacuations:  All evacuation statuses have been lifted as of 8:00 p.m on Tuesday July 9th, 2024.

Temporary Flight Restrictions: A temporary flight restriction (TFR) remains in place over the Riley Fire until July 19th. Find more information at: 4/7281 NOTAM Details (faa.gov). It’s important to keep all unidentified aircraft out of the TFR area. If illegal drone use is detected over the fire area, all firefighting aerial resources are grounded immediately and may delay suppression progress.