8/24/19 10:00 am Caribou Lake Fire and North Fork Fire Update

A community meeting will be held at the McNeil Canyon School (52188 East End Rd, Fritz Creek) on Saturday, August 24 at 3:00 PM.

For a pdf version of this map to print or email, click here. 

For a pdf version of the update to print or email, click here.


The Caribou Lake Fire is currently 895 acres and 20 percent contained. Fire behavior was moderate on Friday. With the persistent drought conditions, the fire was burning intermittently in the dry grasses and moss, but was not as active in the black spruce. Two water dropping airplanes, called Fire Bosses, continued to support the firefighters on the ground with water drops as needed.

On Saturday, north to northwest winds may increase fire activity on the east and southeast portions of the fire; however, a fire break constructed on the east side of the fire has been preventing the fire’s spread in that direction. Firefighters will continue with the full containment strategy by completing control lines around the fire perimeter, utilizing natural barriers where possible. Additional crews will be arriving at the Caribou Lake Fire to continue building fire line around the fire’s perimeter. Firefighting aircraft will support firefighting efforts on the ground as conditions and visibility allow.

Weather: Temperatures will remain above seasonal averages. On Saturday, the forecast calls for sunny skies, with a high near 60. North to northwest winds around 5 mph are expected to expected to increase to 5-10 mph in the evening. Conditions will be similar again on Sunday. There is a slight chance for showers through the weekend; however, no wetting rains expected.

A Dense Smoke Advisory is in effect through 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, August 25, 2019 for the interior Kenai Peninsula. A Dense Smoke Advisory means area fires will create smoke, which can limit visibility. For the latest road conditions, visit http://511.alaska.gov.

Evacuations and Closures: None

Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR): None

North Fork Fire Update: Containment on the North Fork Fire increased to 90 percent on Friday night. The fire remains at 59 acres. The Alaska Division of Forestry (AK DOF), Kenai-Kodiak Area, continues to manage the North Fork Fire, which is located off the North Fork Road in Diamond Ridge near Anchor Point.

On Friday, crews continued to mop up the perimeter. The fire was primarily smoldering in the surface fuels, with some limited single tree torching inside the fire perimeter during the afternoon. On Saturday, firefighters will continue to secure the containment line and remove any heat within 150 feet of the fire’s perimeter. The goal for Saturday is to have 100 percent containment by the end of the day.