The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is reopening the Lower Skilak boat ramp and campground along with Bottenintnin Lake day use area and the rest of Skilak Lake Road.
Those areas have been closed since June 17 due to fire activity from the Card Street Fire.
There are still firefighting personnel and equipment working in the areas.
Motorists are asked to use caution while traveling on the road and help make the areas safe for firefighters and other motorists.
The Kenai National Wildlife Refuge is still under an open burn ban which Ranger Leah Eskelin detailed.
Eskelin: “There still is a burn ban in effect so they are welcome to go out and use the facilities there, and enjoy themselves, especially since the fish are in, but they can’t have any warming fires or open fires in the area.”
That still means no campfires even in established rings. Only flames that can be turned off may be used.
The partial burn ban lift only applied to state, municipal, and private lands and the KNWR is federal lands.
There is still active fire in some areas of the Kenai River and along Skilak Lake.
Smoke may be visible from time to time and snags, falling trees, and ash pits are significantly dangerous.
Although surrounding areas have seen improvement to drought conditions due to recent rains, precipitation has been spotty and fire danger remains high throughout much of the Refuge.
