USA, Alaska. During the summer of 2004, forest fires ravaged large sections of interior Alaska. The Boundary fire burned over 500,000 acres to the north and east of Fairbanks. Pictured is an area 72 miles NE of Fairbanks along the Steese Highway near Faith Creek. Willows begin sprouting within a few weeks of the fire. A record hot and dry summer in Alaska produced conditions to make it the worst fire season on record as more than 5.1 million acres burned across the state.