Late May 2006, Michelle and I had just driven from Anchorage up the Parks Hwy across the Denali Hwy camped over night in the interior. It was still a bit cold for camping at about 20 degrees overnight. We drove most of the time as there was still plenty of snow above 2000 feet and where there was no snow there was mud. We saw a few wolves, coyotes, and lots of caribou. Near the half way point and just after crossing the Susitna river I came across some stranded motorists who's truck had died on the long uphill stretch there. Due to weather and conditions I thought it best to give them a ride to the Road House back down the road 15 miles down the hill and across a long glacial plain.

We continued our drive and in a few hours reached the Richardson Hwy and then turned to the Glen Hwy. As it got greener we saw more wildlife.

We continued our drive through the Matanuska valley and at about milepost 80 the road came to a stand still and beyond the line of cars, trucks and RV's around the above the hill line we could see the huge bellows of smoke. I pulled to the side of the road next to the river and parked. No sense in "sitting" in traffic in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness with a fire blocking the road. We let the animals out of the truck and I headed out across the river flats to see what I could see.

Nothing, it was to far away for a quick walk on the Matanuska river bed. It was rough going on the glacial bed and there were many braided branches of the river to cross with my camera. I guessed it was over 7 miles to the fire. There was about 3 miles until the road was closed and beyond I could see the helo's dipping for water.

We waited about 6 hours for the road to reopen, and as we passed the scene of the fire it was clear, there was about 2-3 miles of road that was burned on both sides.

The rest of the drive home was uneventful, other then the revelation that it was a bit early in the season for camping in th interior.