[1] The general weather pattern for Interior Alaska is May is wet, June is hot and dry, July is transitional, and August is rainy.

"[4] Much of the rain over the summer of 2004 came during thunderstorms, which resulted in record amounts of lightning triggering many of the original fires near Fairbanks, Alaska.

[6] After months of lightning and increased temperatures, an uncharacteristically dry August resulted in fires continuing through September.

[7] The boreal zone, across the globe, makes up more than 25% of global forests, and when wildfires occur it is a top leader in carbon emissions.

[1] For over 15 days, particulate matter measured 1,000 micrograms per cubic meter, well over the EPA thresholds for hazardous and unhealthy air quality.