Additional wildfires fires stretch Alaska firefighters

[Panich52]

Alaska Dispatch

Firefighters stretched thin with additional fires on Kenai Peninsula
  
Two new wildfires sparked by lightning along the Sterling Highway on the Kenai Peninsula were smoldering Wednesday morning, while residents in the Kenai Keys neighborhood were marveling that their homes remained intact after intensive firefighting efforts.

Alaska News | Megan Edge, Alex DeMarban, Laurel Andrews
Read more
http://www.adn.com/article/20150617/firefighters-stretched-thin-additional-fires-kenai-peninsula


Bans on fireworks, burning extend across Alaska

Bans on fireworks and burning are in effect this week across Southcentral Alaska and in parts of the Interior as wildfires continue to blaze in hot, dry weather. 

Alaska News | Tegan Hanlon
Read more
http://www.adn.com/article/20150617/bans-fireworks-burning-extend-across-alaska

[Sunlei]

1. why is the land so dry there? its always been very moist lands covered with pools & streams.

has the land been covered by the invasive grass called "cheat grass"? very green at first, it dries to fire tinder.