06/17/17 1:00 PM East Fork Fire on Kenai Peninsula Now Estimated at 850 Acres

A lightning-caused wildfire in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge more than doubled in size on Friday after increasing winds throughout the afternoon produced extreme fire behavior on the east and northeast sides of the fire.

The latest size estimate on the East Fork Fire as of late Friday night was 850 acres. Most of the new growth was to the east and northeast as firefighters focused on direct suppression on the west edge of the fire about a mile from the East Fork of the Moose River in an attempt to limit fire spread to the south and west closest to the Sterling Highway and community of Sterling.

The fire is burning in a limited suppression area, approximately 4 ½ miles northeast of the highway and the community. The fire is approximately 15 miles northeast of Soldotna. No residences or other values at risk are immediately threatened.

https://akfireinfo.files.wordpress.com/2017/06/20170617_eastforkfire_8-5x11_land.jpg

Winds from the southwest are pushing the fire farther into the refuge, away from roads and populated areas. The Alaska Division of Forestry is coordinating with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to manage the fire for ecological benefits in the refuge.

The increase in fire size and the prevailing winds pushed heavy smoke into Anchorage on Friday night. Residents in Alaska’s largest city will likely see and smell the effects of the fire until the wind direction changes.

There were 41 personnel assigned to the fire as of Friday night, including 16 BLM Alaska Fire Service smokejumpers and a 20-person Type 2 crew from the same agency. An initial attack crew that arrived late Friday night from Fairbanks was shuttled into the fire by helicopter on Saturday morning and two more initial attack crews were scheduled to arrive Saturday morning, which will put the total number of personnel on the fire at approximately 125.

The northern edge of the fire moderated Friday night when it ran into swampy terrain but the northeast and east sides of the fire remain 100 percent active, burning in predominantly black spruce and some mixed hardwoods.

Two water-scooping aircraft and an air tanker made multiple water drops on the south and west sides of the fire on Friday and will continue making strategic water drops today to support firefighters on the ground to prevent growth on the southwest corner of the fire.

Similar weather conditions are expected on the fire today as Friday, with high temperatures around 70 and relative humidity in the low 30 percent range. There is a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon.

The East Fork Fire was reported at 6:25 p.m. Thursday, June 15. The lightning-caused fire grew rapidly and was estimated at 100 acres by the time air attack personnel from Palmer arrived.

The fire is located in a limited suppression area but due to the extreme fire behavior it exhibited and the fire’s proximity to local infrastructure, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service made the decision to take suppression action on a portion of the fire.

Water drops from aircraft are being used to support firefighting efforts on the ground. Retardant is not being used because of the fire’s proximity to an anadramous salmon stream.

The public is asked to be on the lookout for firefighters and equipment on the highway. lear of crews working in the area and be aware of the potential for aircraft using Skilak Lake to scoop water.

A temporary flight restriction (TFR) has been put in place over the fire area and pilots should check with the Federal Aviation Administration before flying in the area. More information on the TFR is available at http://tfr.faa.gov/tfr2/list.html.

For more information, contact Alaska Division of Forestry public information officer Celeste Prescott at 907-244-9376. Information about the fire is also being posted on www.kpboem.com and https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5250/

06/16/17 8:30 PM Wildfire on the Kenai Peninsula Grows but Poses No Immediate Threat

A lightning-caused wildfire burning in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge grew in size on Friday but firefighters were able to keep it from spreading south and west toward the Sterling Highway.

As of 5:30 p.m., the East Fork Fire was estimated between 300-400 acres, according to the Alaska Division of Forestry. Most of the growth was to the north and northeast, away from the highway and the community of Sterling, which is approximately 4 ½ miles to the southwest. Light winds out of the south were steering the fire to the north and east.

An air tanker and two water scooping planes bombed west and south sides of the fire with strategic water drops to steer it away from any values at risk while 19 firefighters on the ground made good progress establishing indirect line along the East Fork of the Moose River to keep the fire east of the river.

As expected, fire activity increased in the afternoon with warmer, drier conditions, evidenced by a large smoke plume that is visible locally in Kenai and Soldotna, as well as from Anchorage across the Cook Inlet. Afternoon temperatures rose into the low 70s and the relative humidity dropped into the low 30 percent range. The most active edge of the fire on the north side produced extreme fire behavior as it burned through thick stands of mature black spruce, producing crowning and torching.

Two more crews from the Alaska Division of Forestry and BLM Alaska Fire Service were ordered to the fire and will arrive late tonight to bolster ground forces tomorrow. Additional crews will be ordered as they are released from other fires in other parts of the state.

The East Fork Fire was reported at 6:25 p.m. Thursday. The lightning-caused fire grew rapidly and was estimated at 100 acres by the time air attack personnel from Palmer arrived.

The fire is located in a limited suppression area and the primary fuel type is black spruce with mixed hardwoods. Given the volatility of black spruce, the fire exhibited extreme fire behavior Thursday night with crowning and 30- to 40-foot flame lengths in areas of black spruce. Due to the extreme fire behavior and the fire’s proximity to local infrastructure, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service made the decision to take suppression action on a portion of the fire.

Water drops from aircraft are being used to support firefighting efforts on the ground. Retardant is not being used because of the fire’s proximity to an anadramous salmon stream. Retardant could be used if the fire poses a direct threat to values at risk but that is not the case at this time.

The public is asked to please steer clear of crews working in the area and be aware of the potential for aircraft using Skilak Lake to scoop water.

A temporary flight restriction (TFR) has been put in place over the fire area and pilots should check with the Federal Aviation Administration before flying in the area. More information on the TFR is available at http://tfr.faa.gov/tfr2/list.html.

For more information, contact Alaska Division of Forestry public information officer Celeste Prescott at 907-244-9376. Information about the fire is also being posted on www.kpboem.com.

Blog Links by Agency or Response Needs

Links found on the right or left side of this blog have been updated. Links may be added as needed.

06/16/17 10:45 AM Firefighters Working on East Fork Fire in Kenai National Wildlife Refuge

Fire managers have formulated a plan to manage a 198-acre wildfire that started in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge on Thursday evening.

The East Fork Fire was reported at 6:25 p.m. east of the East Fork of the Moose River, approximately 4 ½ miles northeast of the community of Sterling and the Sterling Highway. The lightning-caused fire grew rapidly and was estimated at 100 acres by the time air attack personnel arrived.

The fire is located in a limited suppression area and the primary fuel type is black spruce with mixed hardwoods. Given the volatility of black spruce, the fire exhibited extreme fire behavior Thursday night with crowning and 30- to 40-foot flame lengths in areas of black spruce. Due to the extreme fire behavior and the fire’s proximity to local infrastructure, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service made the decision to take suppression action on a portion of the fire.

An air tanker from Palmer was called in and dropped one load of water on the fire. Ground forces were mobilized in the form of 16 smokejumpers from the BLM Alaska Fire Service at Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks and three helitack personnel from the Alaska Division of Forestry in Palmer.

Ground personnel arrived at the fire at approximately 10:30 p.m. and worked late into the night to establish a safe camping area and landing zone for a helicopter. Ground personnel will be working today to establish an anchor point and indirect line on the west side of the fire and will also be working on indirect line on the south side of the fire. More crews will be en route to the fire today to increase the number of personnel working on the fire. The objective is to keep the fire east and north of the East Fork of the Moose River.

Water drops from aircraft will be used to support firefighting efforts on the ground. Retardant is not being used because of the fire’s proximity to an anadramous salmon stream. Retardant could be used if the fire poses a direct threat to values at risk but that is not the case at this time.

The public is asked to please steer clear of crews working in the area and be aware of the potential for aircraft using Skilak Lake to scoop water. This could limit recreational access to a portion of Skilak Lake.

A temporary flight restriction (TFR) has been put in place over the fire area and pilots should check with the Federal Aviation Administration before flying in the area. More information on the TFR is available at http://tfr.faa.gov/tfr2/list.html.

For more information, contact Alaska Division of Forestry public information officer Celeste Prescott at 907-244-9376. Information about the fire is also being posted on www.kpboem.com.

High Wind Warning and Flood Watch UPDATE

High wind warning remains in effect from 10:00PM Tuesday (09/20/16) to 4:00PM Wednesday (09/21/16) through Portage Valley and Turnagain Arm.

Flood watch remains in effect Tuesday evening through Thursday morning (09/20-22/16) in the Seward area. The latest weather updates can be found at http://www.weather.gov/arh/

Residents are encouraged to store or tie down loose items. River property owners should secure or remove boats and docking. Have you updated your 72-Hour Go Kit? Check off the list of supplies and personal items at https://www.ready.gov/build-a-kit

KNWF - Fire Safety is Key this Holiday Weekend

JOINT AGENCY NEWS RELEASE

CONTACT:  Kenai National Wildlife Refuge

TELEPHONE:  (907) 262-7021

E-Mail:  kenai@fws.gov

Shortly after midnight on Wednesday morning, a fire was reported in the Funny River/Moose Ridge Road area. State Forestry and CES responded and discovered a small holdover fire from the 2014 Funny River Fire smoldering in the organic layer a few inches below the surface.  A similar fire, believed to have rekindled from the 2015 Card Street Fire, was extinguished recently as well.

“Local fire danger indices have been in the high to very high range recently,” said Alaska Southern Refuges Fire Management Officer Kristi Bulock, “This, coupled with very little moisture over the past two winters is allowing fire to continue to smolder in the duff and peat.”

Current drying conditions combined with warm temperatures and increased outdoor activities are cause for caution.  As you are out and about this weekend, please be very careful with activities that may involve fire.  Follow all guidelines for fully extinguishing campfires before leaving.  Campfires that are fully out are not smoldering, have been treated with plenty of water and are cool to the touch.  If you discover an area of heat, smell smoke, see an unattended fire or otherwise believe there is another rekindled fire, report this immediately to State Forestry (260-4100 or 9-1-1).

More fire safety information is available on the Refuge Facebook page at www.facebook.com/kenainationalwildliferefuge and on the Alaska Interagency Fire Coordination Center’s website athttp://fire.ak.blm.gov. For additional information, please contact the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge office during regular business hours at (907) 262-7021.