The northward motion of the Pacific plate pushing into southern Alaska causes deformation in central Alaska. Some of this stress is accommodated by the Denali Fault. The Denali Fault cuts through central Alaska. The largest known earthquake on the Denali Fault was the magnitude 7.9 earthquake in November 2002.

The stress that isn't accommodated by the Denali Fault is distributed across central Alaska via smaller fault zones. The Minto Flats, Fairbanks and Salcha seismic zones are areas where frequent earthquakes occur that aren't on known faults.