State lifts flight restriction over Lake Louise-area fire

LAKE LOUISE — A massive wildfire burning since late last month is more or less out thanks to recent rains in the area.

The so-called Tabert Lake fire started July 31 west of Lake Louise and Little Lake Louise in the Copper River Basin. It burned 1,360 acres before the rains gave firefighters a handle on it this weekend.

“The temporary flight restriction has been cancelled,” according to the final press release from the fire, issued Sunday.

Fire season has this year been a strange one in the Valley, starting much later than usual and lasting into August, when firefighters by this time of year are usually off fighting blazes in other parts of the country.

So far, 715,759 acres have burned in the state, the vast majority in the state’s Interior.