07/13/19 Swan Lake Fire Update

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Fire behavior remained moderate with little change.  Minimal fire spread was observed along with limited interior smoldering. Visibility continues to improve with reduced fire behavior.  Fire progression has been assessed in areas of concern and long term strategic objectives continue to be evaluated and developed. Support of initial attack efforts continue as requested by local units.

The south and west perimeter areas of the fire remained calm during the afternoon burning period where extensive control lines have been established.  Contingency lines are being constructed to halt fire spread towards Cooper Landing and other values.  Crews are utilizing existing trail and natural features establishing control lines to mitigate eastward fire spread. Along the East Fork Moose River, crews continue mop-up to increase perimeter security.  Sites to the north and northwest have firefighting personnel and structure protection efforts in place. These improvements will reduce the chance of fire spread in the future, resulting in more fire resilient landscapes and communities.

Firefighters continue to patrol the Sterling Highway.  Alaska State troopers and US Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Officers are monitoring for visibility impacts due to smoke and fog on Sterling and Seward Highways.  The Homer Electric transmission line running along Sterling Highway was re-energized Friday.

WEATHER: The marine influence will keep temperatures and humidity moderate. Temperatures in the lower 70s will continue through the weekend. Saturday, skies will continue to be mostly cloudy in the morning clearing to mostly sunny during the afternoon and evening. General winds will be west to southwesterly with northwest winds along the eastern portions of the fire. There is a chance that the fire area will receive some light precipitation on Monday.

AIR QUALITY: Smoke settling in valleys during late morning through early afternoon. Smoke is hanging longest in eastern valleys. 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:  Watch for construction zones and smoke along the Sterling Highway. Law enforcement officers are monitoring smoke conditions for visibility impacts.  Please use headlights. For current road conditions visit http://511.alaska.gov. The Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) includes the western portion of the Chugach National Forest and 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. The latest updates can be found at www.KPBoem.com. See below for other sources of information.

CLOSURES: For closure information regarding the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge within the Skilak Wildlife Recreation Area go to http://kenai.fws.gov or call 907-262-7021 or 907-260-2820.  There are partial area closures near Resurrection Pass Trail and some facilities, trails, and roads within the Chugach National Forest. For the latest information on closures and fire restrictions please go to: https://www.fs.usda.gov/news/chugach/news-events.