Stephanie
Diamond Member
- Jul 11, 2004
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I live in Anderson... Things are looking good for us though as it seems they have been successful in cutting the fire break and the winds have died down today....Thank goodness for the firefighters, they saved a lot of homes, and one town so far, and it looks like they have our town pretty well protected, so far...
By AMANDA BOHMAN, Staff Writer
An estimated 65,500-acre wildland fire south of Fairbanks is about 25 percent contained, fire information officer Tom Kempton said on Wednesday.
The fire is burning a swath of forest largely on the east side of the Parks Highway from the city of Nenana at 305 Mile south to 291 Mile, which is about four miles northeast of Anderson, according to an Alaska Fire Service map.
Winds from the north expected today and Friday prompted crews to cut a fire break with bulldozers to protect about 30 houses in the fire's anticipated path, Kempton said.
"We're staying ahead of the forecast for the winds," the spokesman said. "The fire has burned a lot of the fuel near Nenana. There's still a lot of fuel at the other end."
Anderson is located about 75 miles southwest of Fairbanks and 20 miles south of Nenana.
Firefighters also staged burnouts from the fire's southern edge toward wildlands scarred by a previous forest fire, Kempton said.
A reduced speed limit of 35 mph continues on the Parks Highway in the fire area.
The wildland fire was ignited last week by hot ash dumped in the woods and has claimed two houses, as many cabins and several outbuildings, mainly near the city of Nenana. No one has been charged though a Parks Highway resident has been cited for a burn violation for starting the fire, according to Alaska Division of Forestry officials.
The fire has drawn 500 firefighters, which is nearly the population of Nenana or Anderson.
The blaze is expected to continue to grow as the hot, dry weather continues.
"The fire will have to be watched really carefully until this area receives substantial precipitation," Kempton said.
Meteorologist Scott Berg said no significant rainfall is forecast in the near future for the Nenana-Anderson area. He predicted only scattered or isolated showers.
"It's not going to stay overhead long enough to do any kind of damage to the fire," said Berg, who works for the National Weather Service in Fairbanks.
Kempton described winds Wednesday as mild. An early report had smoke from the fire reaching Denali National Park and Preserve.
Winds today are expected to be 5 mph to 10 mph, said Berg, but will strengthen Friday.
Twenty-three engines, four helicopters and nine bulldozers are being used in the firefighting effort, Kempton said. "The goal is to prevent danger to any structures of the more populated areas."
Elsewhere, a wildland fire near Delta Junction is 100 percent contained, while officials continue to watch a wildfire growing near the Little Delta River south of Birch Lake. The fire has reached at least 12,000 acres.
The Alaska Fire Service asks anyone doing burning to use extreme caution and to adhere to burn permit regulations.
Residents are asked to avoid burning on windy days and to properly dispose of cigarettes when outdoors, a statement from the fire service said.
http://www.news-miner.com/Stories/0,1413,113~7244~3331311,00.html
By AMANDA BOHMAN, Staff Writer
An estimated 65,500-acre wildland fire south of Fairbanks is about 25 percent contained, fire information officer Tom Kempton said on Wednesday.
The fire is burning a swath of forest largely on the east side of the Parks Highway from the city of Nenana at 305 Mile south to 291 Mile, which is about four miles northeast of Anderson, according to an Alaska Fire Service map.
Winds from the north expected today and Friday prompted crews to cut a fire break with bulldozers to protect about 30 houses in the fire's anticipated path, Kempton said.
"We're staying ahead of the forecast for the winds," the spokesman said. "The fire has burned a lot of the fuel near Nenana. There's still a lot of fuel at the other end."
Anderson is located about 75 miles southwest of Fairbanks and 20 miles south of Nenana.
Firefighters also staged burnouts from the fire's southern edge toward wildlands scarred by a previous forest fire, Kempton said.
A reduced speed limit of 35 mph continues on the Parks Highway in the fire area.
The wildland fire was ignited last week by hot ash dumped in the woods and has claimed two houses, as many cabins and several outbuildings, mainly near the city of Nenana. No one has been charged though a Parks Highway resident has been cited for a burn violation for starting the fire, according to Alaska Division of Forestry officials.
The fire has drawn 500 firefighters, which is nearly the population of Nenana or Anderson.
The blaze is expected to continue to grow as the hot, dry weather continues.
"The fire will have to be watched really carefully until this area receives substantial precipitation," Kempton said.
Meteorologist Scott Berg said no significant rainfall is forecast in the near future for the Nenana-Anderson area. He predicted only scattered or isolated showers.
"It's not going to stay overhead long enough to do any kind of damage to the fire," said Berg, who works for the National Weather Service in Fairbanks.
Kempton described winds Wednesday as mild. An early report had smoke from the fire reaching Denali National Park and Preserve.
Winds today are expected to be 5 mph to 10 mph, said Berg, but will strengthen Friday.
Twenty-three engines, four helicopters and nine bulldozers are being used in the firefighting effort, Kempton said. "The goal is to prevent danger to any structures of the more populated areas."
Elsewhere, a wildland fire near Delta Junction is 100 percent contained, while officials continue to watch a wildfire growing near the Little Delta River south of Birch Lake. The fire has reached at least 12,000 acres.
The Alaska Fire Service asks anyone doing burning to use extreme caution and to adhere to burn permit regulations.
Residents are asked to avoid burning on windy days and to properly dispose of cigarettes when outdoors, a statement from the fire service said.
http://www.news-miner.com/Stories/0,1413,113~7244~3331311,00.html
