Dozens Flee Wildfires in Interior, East Alaska

Wildfires burning in Alaska’s interior shrouded Mt. McKinley, the continent’s highest mountain, in a smoky haze and forced dozens of people to escape flames near the Canadian border, the Alaska Fire Service said Thursday.

Canadian planes were aiding the fight in eastern Alaska where two wildfires that jumped containment lines posed serious danger, said Terry Virgin from the town of Tok.

Firefighters were trying to carve lines between lakes that dot the area to stop a blaze traveling toward the Indian village of Tetlin, which has been evacuated by most of its 90 residents using the only way out--riverboats.