The Caribou Hills Fire was a 2007 wildfire that burned near Ninilchik, Alaska, and expanded extremely rapidly, making it at one point the top firefighting priority in the United States.
[1] The fire began June 19, 2007, when sparks created by a hand-held grinder being used to sharpen a shovel ignited dry grass.
Firefighters called for evacuations of residents in outlying areas, specifically the Ninilchik 40 subdivision and the Caribou Hills cabins.
By June 24, 2007, approximately 75 structures had been destroyed by the fire, including 34 cabins, one primary residence and 40 outbuildings such as sheds and outhouses.
[6][7] The exact number of buildings destroyed may never be known as the Caribou Hills area is a popular destination for snowmachine enthusiasts in the winter, and many small overnight cabins had been built over the years without permits or other documentation.