5:30 pm Update:
What is now known as the Card Street Fire is estimated to be around 150 acres.
Approximately six structures have been lost according to the Division of Forestry.
A new evacuation has been issued through the Office of Emergency Management to the Funny River Areas of Fisherman’s Road, Salmon Run Road, and Dow Island.
This evacuation was issued by the Division of Forestry and is listed as mandatory for safety.
Those evacuating from Funny River Areas can go to K-Beach Elementary School for shelter or temporary assistance.
The Sterling Community Center has been set up for those Sterling residents who have been evacuated.
There are also reports from Sterling that para jumpers have arrived on scene to battle the blaze.
5:00 pm Update:
More than 200 homes are being threatened by the over 75 acre fire in Sterling.
Some reports of structures being lost have already come in from Sterling residents like Derick Williams who said as of 4 pm his home hadn’t been burnt but his neighbors’ had.
The fire is still 100% active with five Division of Forestry air resources responding along with Central Emergency Services, Nikiski Fire, Kenai Fire, and Alaska State Troopers.
The blaze began around 1:30PM when the Division of Forestry and CES responded to the report of a grass fire near Fueding Lane.
Joshua Thompson with CES said they began evacuating residents who wanted to leave before the reverse 911 calls were issued from the Kenai Peninsula Borough’s Office of Emergency Management.
Sterling Elementary has been set up for evacuees and businesses like Hooligan’s Lodge in Soldotna are offering places to those who are displaced by the fire.
Hooligan’s owner Molly Polland said to call her at 262-9951 and she would like for those interested in free lodging to have proof of their Sterling residency.
The Office of Emergency Management has set up a phone line for updates at 714-2495.
A group of citizens has also organized to help with anyone in Sterling who needs to evacuate farm animals due to the fire.
Lori Orth said individuals of their group have volunteered their time and horse trailers to haul livestock.
Many of them also volunteered in the same capacity last year during the Funny River Fire.
Animal Evacuation Contacts:
Lori Orth: 398-3656
Connie Taplin: 252-5427
Jessie Beauchamp: 690-3501
Joe Dilley: 398-6047
4:00 pm Update:
There have been reports that the 75 acre Sterling fire has consumed several residences.
Derrick Williams lives on Alamo Street in Sterling and said as of 4 PM his home had not yet been burned.
He said he believed that approximately 4 other structures have burned down in his neighborhood but we have not had other confirmations that structures have been lost.
3:30 pm Update:
Multiple agencies are responding to an approximately 75 acre fire near Feuding Lane in Sterling and have begun evacuating the area.
Division of Forestry’s Andy Alexandrou said as of 3 pm there are structures threatened by the fire but did not know if any structures had been damaged.
Central Emergency Services’ Josh Thompson is on the scene.
Thompson: “We are conducting a door to door evacuation of the Fueding Lane area, Sterling Elementary School is an interim location for evacuees until further notice. A reverse 911 has been activated for that area and for further information the Office of Emergency Management has opened up a line: 714-2495. Or we’ll be giving you guys at radio Kenai updates about every half hour if we can.”
2:30 pm Update:
The Division of Forestry and other authorities are responding to a wildfire near mile 77 of the Sterling Highway.
Joshua Thompson with Central Emergency Services said they responded to the report of a grass fire at 1:38 pm near Fueding Lane.
The Division of Forestry Helicopter is in the air right now and another update is expected sometime after 3 pm.
Continue to refresh this story for updates.
