NOTE:

This blog is maintained as an effort to coordinate and collocate responding agencies' information for easier public access during events on the Kenai Peninsula. The information here is written and provided by the contributing agencies. NOTE: The blog will be updated as the need arises and may be dormant at times.

Friday, July 12, 2019

07/12/19 Swan Lake Fire Update



Control lines to the south and west continue to hold.  There has been no growth of the fire to the north, south, and west with minimal growth to the east along drainages.  Ahead of the fire, firefighters continue to thin brush and understory vegetation along the Skyline Trail and Fuller Lakes Trail.  The purpose of this effort is to reduce the chance of the fire spreading east along the highway corridor.  Crews are utilizing existing trails and natural features to establish control lines to check eastward fire spread toward Cooper Landing.  In addition, crews are clearing vegetation in and around public use cabins near Resurrection Pass Trail.  These improvements will reduce the chance of fire spread in the future, resulting in more fire resilient landscapes and communities.
WEATHER:  Areas of low clouds and patchy fog in the morning will give way to mostly sunny skies in the afternoon or evening.  It will be partly cloudy to mostly sunny in the afternoon.  Highs in the lower 70s expected with lows in the upper 40s.  Winds will be light, 4-8 mph, throughout the day and into the night.  There is very little chance of rain expected today.
AIR QUALITY: Smoke settling in valleys during late morning through early afternoon.  Smoke hanging longest in eastern valley.  Real-time air quality readings are available 24-hours a day at http://tools.airfire.org .  Click on the Monitoring PM2.5 tab to find readings.  For smoke forecasts from Alaska wildfires, visit UAFSMOKE at http://smoke.alaska.edu.
SAFETY: Along the Sterling Highway watch for construction zones and smoke on the roadway. Alaska state troopers and local US Fish and Wildlife law enforcement officers continue to patrol the Sterling highway corridor.  Law enforcement officers are monitoring smoke conditions and delaying traffic as needed.  Dip-netting season is now underway significantly increasing traffic.  Please use headlights and caution, especially during the overnight hours. For current road conditions visit http://511.alaska.gov. The Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) has expanded to include the western portion of the Chugach National Forest and still includes the Sterling Highway corridor. Pilots can confirm the current TFR restrictions at http://tfr.faa.gov.  The use of drones in the TFR and the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge is not permitted.
FIRE RESTRICTIONS: Open fires and campfires are prohibited on the Kenai Peninsula and in other areas of Alaska. For further information, please contact the appropriate agencies listed below:
Kenai National Wildlife Refuge: http://kenai.fws.gov 907-262-7021 or 907-260-2820
Chugach National Forest: www.fs.usda.gov/chugach  907-288-3178
Alaska Division of Forestry: www.akfireinfo.com  www.facebook.com/AK.Forestry/
907-356-5511
Alaska Division of State Parks: www.dnr.alaska.gov  907-262-5581
Kenai Peninsula Borough: www.kpboem.blogspot.com  907-262-4636
Kenai Fjords National Park: https://www.nps.gov/kefj/index.htm  907-422-0500
CLOSURES: There are partial area closures near Resurrection Pass Trail and some facilities, trails, and roads within Skilak Wildlife Recreation Area.  For the latest information on closures and fire restrictions please go to: https://www.fs.usda.gov/news/chugach/news-events. 

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