Firefighters on Saturday were battling a rapidly growing fire about 2 miles northeast of the community of Montana Creek — near Mile 95 of the Parks Highway — as warm, dry conditions in much of the state fueled additional fire activity.
The Montana Creek Fire, which was reported around 3:15 p.m. Saturday, grew quickly from a quarter acre to about 20 acres, Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection officials wrote in an update. By 6:30 p.m. Saturday, the fire was estimated between 70 and 100 acres, KTNA reported, based on information from state fire officials.
At least three wildland fire engines, two helicopters, two scoopers, a fire retardant aircraft and a load of smokejumpers were responding, among other resources, fire officials wrote in their post. Flames up to 5 feet were observed and trees were torched as the blaze burns in an area with black spruce, fire officials wrote.
Crews were making progress Saturday evening, a public information officer told KTNA.
The Parks Highway remained open Saturday evening, but drivers were asked to slow down and use caution in the fire area as crews continued to fight the blaze and work between Mile 94 and 98, fire officials said. Alaska State Troopers said around 5:30 p.m. Saturday that residential roads between Mile 94 and 98 were “only open to residential traffic.”
The Upper Susitna Community & Senior Center said on Facebook that it was open for anyone needing shelter as a result of the Montana Creek Fire.
State fire officials said that burn suspensions continue to remain in effect for the Matanuska-Susitna, Valdez/Copper River, Fairbanks, Delta and Tok areas until conditions improve.
On the Kenai Peninsula, a wildfire near Tustumena Lake in the Kasilof area forced evacuations of the nearby Tustumena Lake Campground, borough officials wrote in a social media post.
Personnel from Central Emergency Services and the state Division of Forestry and Fire Protection were responding to the fire, and more air and ground resources were on the way, Kenai Peninsula Borough officials wrote.
The borough said its Office of Emergency Management has activated a call center at 907-262-4636 for non-emergency calls about the Tustumena fire management operations.
In Interior Alaska, crews are monitoring and responding to multiple wildfires, including some that have been burning for several days.
Additional information about wildfire response in Alaska is available at akfireinfo.com.