9:00 pm #CardStreetFire update…
Fire crews are remaining vigilant in the Kenai Keys area to prevent the Card Street Fire from entering the neighborhood.
Terry Anderson with the Division of Forestry said a number of hot spots have popped up across the Kenai River in the old Funny River Fire burn area of the Killey River.
Those areas north and south of the Kenai Keys are the top priorities of the Card Street Fire and crews will continue to work throughout the night. Retardant is still being dropped on the Card Street Fire.
Anderson said temperatures are already dropping a little bit in Sterling and crews are counting on a calmer night conditions to get a better hold on it.
No rain or lightning has been seen in the Sterling area but as of about 8:45 pm there had been around 70 lightning strikes in the Kenai Range, in and around Cooper Landing.
He said the two fires near Cooper Landing are located around the area of milepost 51 of the Sterling Highway.
The Forest Service and the Division of Forestry are focusing their suppression efforts on the smaller of the two Cooper Landing fires which is being called the Juneau Lake Fire.
Anderson said that fire is located located near Juneau Lake, which is north of the highway, up Resurrection Trail.
South of the Sterling Highway there is a larger fire, which we originally reported as around 15-20 acres, and is currently on the side of a steep mountain Anderson said.
The larger fire is unreachable and racing upwards on the mountain, probably visible from the highway according to Anderson.
8:30 pm #CardStreetFire update…
The Sterling Community Center has been transformed into a refuge for evacuees and will be staying open 24 hours a day until residents are allowed to return home.
Trista Cavallo is volunteering at the Center and said it has everything evacuees might need.
Those running the center have also run into a plethora of donations. Cavallo said at this time they are requesting no more donations be brought until inventory can be taken on the items currently there.
As for volunteer resources, Cavallo said those interested in volunteering can contact the Birch Ridge Community Church at 260-6705 who is organizing how many people are needed and for what times.
Volunteers can be used for meal prep, serving and cleanup.
8:00 pm #CardStreetFire update…
A Division of Forestry release:
The second evacuation of the day and third in two days was issued for in the Kenai Keyes subdivision on the Kenai Peninsula early Tuesday evening due to the Card Street Fire, which is now estimated at 2,000 acres.
The fire, which started yesterday, flared up on the southeast side and is less than a mile east of the subdivision. Firefighters are holding it out of the area but they want to get people out in the event wind associated with thunderstorm cells building to the east produces winds that could fan the flames.
It’s the second time today and the third time in two days that an evacuation order has been issued for the area.
An evacuation advisory was issued this morning because northerly winds were pushing the fire toward the subdivision along the Kenai River.
Air tankers have been ordered to drop retardant on the encroaching fire and are enroute.
Most of the fire activity on the fire Tuesday was on the east side of the fire and the fire did burn into the Kenai
National Wildlife Refuge. The fire was burning about 1 1/2 miles from Skilak Loop Road, though it was not threatening anything on that side of the fire. The only structure there is an old U.S. Forest Service guard station that has been closed. Sprinklers have been set up around the guard station to protect it.
The Card Street Fire is a human-caused fire that started around 2 p.m. on Monday south of milepost 77 of the Sterling Highway. The fire started in a remote area near Card Street off Feuding Lane east of the community of Sterling.
Air tankers dropped over 30 loads of fire retardant to on the fire to protect nearby structures dotted throughout the area as the wildfire quickly burned south towards the Kenai River. At least five structures were destroyed in the initial phase of the fire despite an aggressive initial attack by Alaska Division of Forestryfirefighters.
7:15 pm #CardStreetFire update…
There are two active fires near Cooper Landing and over sixty lightening strikes have been recorded in the Kenai Range this evening.
The Division of Forestry’s helicopter just reached one fire near Juneau Creek and is reporting the fire at about 15-20 acres.
Andy Alexandrou with the Division of Forestry said that fire is spreading quickly through Hemlock and Spruce with a 100% active perimeter.
He said some good news is that the storm is laying down a little bit of precipitation which is reaching the ground.
The flame line is two to three feet high and there are 5 to 10 mile per hour winds out of the northeast.
Alexandrou said there is no information as to if the Highway is being threatened by the fires right now.
There are major transmission lines in the area which provide power from the Bradley Lake Power plant.
7 pm #CardStreetFire update…
Thunder and lightening have been reported in Cooper Landing.
Crews are responding to the start of a fire there but little is known at this time about the conditions, what started it, or where it is.
Division of Forestry’s Terry Anderson said so far that fire is not taking away resources from the Card Street Fire, however if aerial resources are needed, it could.
Earlier tonight Andy Alexandrou with the Division of Forestry stated that crews were ready to respond as the National Weather Service had predicted a dry thunderstorm around the Kenai Mountain Range.
6pm #CardStreetFire Update:
Division of Forestry’s Terry Anderson says the fire is still making a very intense active front around the Kenai Keys area, “that is not a done deal in there.”
The fire is pushing hard against the road at Kenai Keys.
Air tankers are dropping constant loads of water from the Kenai River in that area. Anderson asks residents to take the evacuation recommendations seriously this evening.
Anderson hopes to say tomorrow that the fire is moving towards the refuge away from homes, but “we are not there yet.” It has not yet jumped the road into the subdivision.
The fire is pushing south east along Kenai Keys road.
Anderson said they’re trying to hold the fire there, burning out the area where necessary. Flying conditions will continue to be good for aerial attacks for the next three to four hours.
Residents are asked to leave the area. The fire is unpredictable and the news isn’t good for Kenai Keys.
Power and natural gas are still shut off.
Five hot shot crews are currently landing in Anchorage and will be on their way. Anderson anticipates strong fire growth over night.
Anderson said the crews really need access to the subdivision and aren’t intentionally trying to keep residents out.
More than anything, fire fighters need cooperation and vigilance. The crews flying in already have all the supplies they need.
5pm #CardStreetFire Update:
Ten structures have been damaged in the Card Street Fire. The borough is confirming addresses and will be contacting residents as appropriate. As of 06/16/2015, the preliminary damage report confirms that three structures are homes.
The Sterling Community Center is the evacuation point for residents who have left their homes and are now evacuating around Skilak Lake. they are well stocked with bedding and personal items but could use new clothes or financial donations for supplies.
In an effort to reduce further damage to HEA facilities and tree related power outages associated with the Card Street Fire in Sterling, HEA will be conducting hazard tree mitigation near overhead electric lines in the vicinity of Feuding Lane and Kenai Keys Rd. as soon as this afternoon, Tuesday the 16th.
It is unknown at this time where the exact location of the current threats exist as line patrols are ongoing, but it has been determined that this work will occur along portions of the overhead lines within State maintained rights of way, across State owned lands within the Stephenkie Alaska Subdivision South of Kenai Keys Rd. as well as Kenai Borough lands South of Kenai Keys Rd., including KPB rights of way.
Mitigation efforts will include the removal of burned or live vegetation that is currently deemed a “hazard tree” that could damage HEA facilities should it come within 5 ft. of contacting conductors if it were to fall toward the line. A combination of hand cutting using chainsaw and a dozer will be used to conduct this work.
HEA will also be working through the night to repair some of the damages in the Kenai Keys area. There are currently 169 meters in the Kenai Keys area without power. HEA hopes to be have the
power restored sometime on Wednesday.
4:30 pm #CardStreetFire update…
Ten structures are now confirmed to have been burnt in the Card Street Fire.
The Borough Office of Emergency Management is identifying those property owners and will be contacting them accordingly.
Division of Forestry Information Officer Terry Anderson said the fire is moving quickly and estimates it is now beyond 1800 acres.
He said it’s moving to the southeast, pushing parallel to Kenai Keys Road where firefighters are protecting homes and holding the lines.
The Card Street Fire is pushing further onto refuge lands where less structures are at risk however winds are getting more erratic.
4:05 pm #CardStreetFire update…
Kenai National Wildlife Refuge authorities are now evacuating Lower Skilak Campground on Skilak Lake Road in the refuge.
The Card Street Fire is moving northeast quickly and all campers should leave the area.
Campground accesses will be closed.
3:30 pm #CardStreetFire update…
The fire is now estimated somewhere between 1500 and 1800 acres and spreading east towards Skilak Lake Road.
The Kenai National Wildlife Refuge has closed the west entrance of Skilak Lake Road and the closure extends to lower Skilak campground since those are on refuge lands.
The closure will last until further notice due to fire activity.
Andy Alexandrou said in a phone interview that the fire is spreading at a moderate speed.
Water from the Kenai River is being used in an aerial attack on the front lines.
Few structures are at risk as the flames head toward the Skilak and Kenai National Wildlife Refuge lands.
2:00 pm #CardStreetFire update…
Resources on Sterling’s Card Street Fire are currently providing structural protection to homes in the area.
There are approximately 70 firefighters dedicated to the fire and more will arrive this afternoon.
The Division of Forestry has come up with an estimate on yesterday’s cost for the Card Street Fire being at least $140,430.
Forestry’s Andy Alexandrou said that is a very conservative estimate.
He added with 100-130 various new firefighters scheduled to arrive tonight, the fire could escalate to as much as $250,000 per day.
The five hot shot crews are scheduled to arrive at the Kenai Airport this evening and a Type 2 Management Team will be arriving to set up an Incident Command tomorrow morning, taking over for Alexandrou and the Division of Forestry.
During yesterday alone there were eight new fires across Alaska and Alexandrou said resources are spent very thin.
One of Soldotna’s Helicopters was pulled off of the Willow Sockeye Fire yesterday and He added that two Black Hawk National Guard Helicopters are expected tomorrow to use for their water bucket capabilities.
1:00 pm #CardStreetFire update…
The Office of Emergency Services released the current map of areas that have already been evacuated. There are no new evacuations, the last evacuation was 1:30 am Tuesday morning.
OEM stated: “Sterling area includes subdivisions from Card Street EAST to Kenai National Refuge boundary at Sterling Hwy. mile 76 and SOUTH to the Kenai River. This still includes Feuding Lane and Kenai Keyes.
Funny River area includes subdivisions off the end of Salmon Run Drive to the end of Fisherman’s Road and Dow Island residents.
Please stay away from the evacuation areas and use caution when driving through smoke or passing fire apparatus. Do not attempt to return to evacuated areas. Updates will be provided to all local radio stations, Rapid Notify and our Facebook page when evacuations are lifted.”
12:10 pm #CardStreetFire update…
The Division of Forestry has said the acreage of the Card Street Fire is up to 1500 acres burned.
12:00 pm #CardStreetFire update…
The weather forecast for the rest of this week holds no good news for the Kenai Peninsula
National Weather Service Lead Meteorologist Sam Albanese said a particularly rare dry thunderstorm is forecast for this evening along the Kenai Range.
He said the storm coming is not expected to get much if any precipitation to the ground and the storm is expected around 6 pm tonight.
According to Albanese, the NWS’ two big concerns with this storm are that the lightning in the dry thunderstorms could spark more fires and that the wind patterns of the storms are typically gusty and unpredictable.
He said the overall storm is forecast to travel from the north toward the south.
The wind patterns are predicted to push from the North to the South.
Moving into Wednesday, Albanese said temperatures will probably again reach into the mid-eighties.
Thursday and Friday might see a slight decline in temperatures with mid-sixties to seventies.
Albanese stated he wished he had better news for the Kenai Peninsula but the message is the weather will stay hot and dry, there is no precipitation forecast for about the next week and a half, and Alaskans need to stay cautious.
11:45 am #CardStreetFire update…
The Division of Forestry’s area estimate for the #CardStreetFire seems to still be around 1200 acres.
Three helicopters and three planes along with a 50 man crew are all assigned to the fire.
Aerial attacks with water and retardant resumed this morning.
Five hot shot crews are expected to arrive this afternoon and a Type 2 team is expected tomorrow.
11am Update:
Latest stats still put the fire at 1,200 acres and 6 structures lost. There Borough Office of Emergency Management says all evacuations remain in place. No new evacuations have been announced since 1:30am this morning.
Weather conditions may change for the worse in the coming days with winds and lightning forecast around Cooper Landing.
Lunch for evacuees and fire crews will be served at the Sterling Community Center and Kenai Peninsula Food Bank on K-Beach Road.
Governor Bill Walker announced on Twitter this morning that he plans to visit the #CardStreetFire in the next few days.
Walker said he will meet with residents who have been displaced by the fire to offer support. On Monday, Walker declared a state disaster for the #SockeyeFire.
HEA has de-energized distribution lines serving 638 homes in the Feuding Lane, Kenai Keys and Dow Island area. Tuesday morning, the Division of Forestry gave approval to re-energize most of Feuding Lane and the Dow Island area. Power remains out to 169 meters in the Kenai Keys area and will remain de-energized pending further direction from the Division of Forestry.
Enstar Natural Gas has shut service off to Feuding Lane, which includes service to any side streets originating from Feuding Lane, including Kenai Keys Road. This is a single feed main that serves about 200 properties.
Tune in to KSRM 920AM on your radio at noon for extended interviews with the National Weather Service, Borough Office of Emergency Management, victims of the fire, and volunteers.
8am Update:
Temperatures are expected to remain in the high 70’s and 80’s through Friday. Still no new numbers on the size of the fire or direction it’s taking. KSRM is working on getting those details. A map of the hot spots is posted at www.facebook.com/ksrm920am
The Sterling Community Center is serving a pancake breakfast until 10:30am for evacuees and fire fighters. They took in families and pets overnight. The Red Cross has supplied the evacuees with personal items, but they only have enough dog and cat food for today and tomorrow. Law enforcement officers visited this morning and confirmed it’s not yet safe to return home. No word yet as to how long the evacuation will last.
Greg Roberts has confirmed his log home on Feuding Lane was lost to the blaze, along with trucks and boats. A former Kenai resident, he says the property was his summer home and intended retirement residence after he recently moved to Anchorage. The family cleared the area after last year’s Funny River fire, but the blaze moved so quickly firefighters weren’t able to save anything. Tune in to KSRM during the noon news update to hear more from Roberts.
Evacuations areas are still in effect for the following perimeters:
Sterling area includes subdivisions from Card Street EAST to Kenai National Refuge boundary at Sterling Hwy. mile 76 and SOUTH to the Kenai River. This still includes Feuding Lane and Kenai Keyes.
Funny River area includes subdivisions off the end of Salmon Run Drive to the end of Fisherman’s Road and Dow Island residents.
Please stay away from the evacuation areas and use caution when driving through smoke or passing fire apparatus. Do not attempt to return to evacuated areas.
The fire began in an area only accessible by four-wheeler and superficial assumptions are that it was somehow human-caused since there was no lightning in the area yesterday.
7am Update:
Borough fire departments continue to support Alaska Division of Forestry with suppression efforts on the Card Street Fire. At approximately 1:30AM, the Sterling evacuation area was expanded to include subdivisions from Card Street, west to the Kenai National Refuge at mile 76 and south of the Sterling Hwy. (This is includes Lepus Ave., Arlene Ave., Zenith St., Caffyn Ave., and Anetta St.)
Evacuation areas will continue to remain in effect for Sterling subdivisions off Feuding Lane to Sterling Hwy and Kenai Keys to the Kenai river as well as Funny River subdivisions off of Salmon Run Drive to the end of Fisherman’s Road and Dow Island
Residents should stay away from the evacuation areas. Do not attempt to return. Updates will be provided to all local radio stations, Rapid Notify and our Facebook page when evacuations are lifted.
Continue to use caution when driving through smoke or passing fire apparatus.
6am Update:
Josh Thompson with Central Emergency Services said crews stayed on scene through the night and expect a full day today.
Don’t forget that a statewide burn suspension is in place indefinitely, as ordered by the Division of Forestry at 7am Monday, June 15th.
The Sockeye Fire near willow is now listed at 7,585 acres.
A reminder of the areas evacuated: 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.
5am Update:
As of 11pm Monday, the Card Street Fire in Sterling was listed at 1,200 acres and is assumed to be human caused since there was no lightning in the area yesterday.
The fire was initially reported at one acre at roughly 1:30pm.
No new evacuations have been announced. Residents of Feuding Lane from the Sterling Hwy to Kenai Keys at the Kenai River were asked to leave by the Division of Forestry, along with residents in Funny River on Fishermans Rd, Fishermans Court, Salmon Run, and Dow Island. Some spotting across the Kenai River has been reported.
A helicopter was being used last night to extinguish those spot fires to prevent the fire from becoming active on the south side of the river.
Firefighters successfully conducted burn-out operations along Kenai Keyes Road to reduce potential fuel for the fire and more resources were ordered to assist with suppression efforts.
Emergency evacuation shelters have been set up at the Sterling Community Center and Soldotna Sports Complex, but the Borough reported they were suspended until such time as needed. Workers at the Sterling Community Center said they are still providing assistance.
At least six structures have been lost. The Division of Forestry hasn’t yet been able to confirm if they were homes. Derick Williams lives on Alamo St and says four homes were burned in his neighborhood.
Homer Electric Association cut power to the affected area.
Enstar Natural Gas says, “Per KPB request, we shut down a portion of our gasline impacting approx 200 customers. Will update when more info available.”
5 Division of Forestry aircraft were on scene yesterday with Forestry personnel, Central Emergency Services, Kenai, and Nikiski Fire Departments.
The blaze began around 1:30PM when the Division of Forestry and CES responded to the report of a grass fire near Fueding Lane near mile 77 of the Sterling Highway.
The Borough’s Office of Emergency Management has set up a phone line for updates at 714-2495, which is staffed from 8am-10pm.