Yukon - Charley Rivers National Preserve - Environmental Factors

In the deep interior of Alaska, the mighty Yukon River flows through bluffs and mountain of an ancient landscape revealing geologic features that date back a billion or more years. During the last ice age, which ended approximately 10,000 years ago, the Yukon River valley remained ice free and as a result provided an open corridor for migrating animals and people. The region is divided by the Tintina Fault which parallels the Yukon. Summers in the region are mild by most standards with temperatures reaching into the 70 and 80s (21 to 26 C). Winters temperatures can drop well below -50 (-45) remaining there for long periods of time. Most of the precipitation falls as rain during the late summer. Fire plays an active role in Yukon-Charley. Each summer fire activity ranges from small, limited burns to large conflagrations consuming thousands of acres. In the wake of these fires, the ecology of the area is quick to reclaim itself providing new habitat for a wide range of flora and fauna.