08/19/19 AUGUST 19, 2019 Fire activity increases on North Fork Fire northwest of Homer

The North Fork Fire is burning in between the
Diamond Ridge Road and the North Fork Road
about six miles northwest of Homer.
Alaska Division of Forestry photo.

More aircraft and firefighters deployed in response to an uptick of fire activity Monday on the North Fork Fire burning about six miles northwest of Homer. Residents living along the North Fork Road north of the fire and in communities along the Diamond Ridge Road to the south have been placed on a Level 1 “Ready” Evacuation notice due to the fire’s movement. The following neighborhoods have been placed in Ready status:

• Sayer and all adjacent roads
• Diamond Ridge Road from the Sterling Hwy Intersection to Rucksack
• Easter Day Road
• Areas off the Sterling Hwy between the south end of the North Fork Road and the intersection of the Sterling Hwy and Diamond Ridge
• North Fork Road from the Sterling Hwy Intersection on both sides of North Fork Road in for a distance of two miles. Barricades are placed at the intersection of Sterling Hwy and south end of North Fork entrance and at mile 14 North Fork Road to allow emergency vehicles and local traffic through only.

A READY evacuation alert is NOT a notice to leave. This alert means that people must be ready for potential evacuation. This includes assisting family members with special needs, arrange to move mobile property (boats, trailers, ATV), and prepare pets or livestock

The 15-person Type 2 Initial Attack Yukon Crew arrived on the fire Sunday and have been working with Alaska Division of Forestry (DOF) firefighters and two helicopters dropping buckets of water on the fire. An air tanker is dropping retardant ahead of the fire. Two water-scooping Fire Boss aircraft responded from the nearby Swan Lake Fire to help the suppression efforts. There are also two dozers on scene.

The North Fork Fire is burning in between the
North Fork Road and the Diamond Ridge Road
to the south

The fire was estimated to be between 25-30 acres and moving south due to unpredicted northerly winds. Fire activity was described as running through open grass and brush with pockets of spruce trees in difficult terrain. Fire managers are concerned that if the fire continues to move south, it will reach an area with continuous spruce trees that are very receptive to burning, especially after the continued hot and dry conditions experienced in the area this summer. The fire area is in between the North Fork Road and the Diamond Ridge Road. It is about 1 ½ mile east of the mile 164 Sterling Highway. The nearest structure is approximately 1 1/2 mile from the fire. DOF officials said it was not immediately threatened. DOF is also getting help from Kachemak Emergency Services and the Anchor Point Fire & Emergency departments, who have been notifying people in the area about the Ready Evacuation level. For more information, call the Borough Call Center at 907-262-INFO