Tag: #FunnyRiverFire

FUNNY RIVER FIRE UPDATE 96,584 acres with 20 percent containment

ALASKA INTERAGENCY INCIDENT MANAGEMENT5-24-14 - Funny River Fire Update
TYPE 2 TEAM
Rob Allen, INCIDENT COMMANDER
FIRE INFORMATION
PHONE: (907) 714-2484
FACEBOOK: Alaska Interagency Incident Management Team
INCIWEB: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/3878/
EMAIL: funnyriverfire@gmail.com
5-24-14 – Funny River Fire Update in PDF
9:30 am May 24, 2014

FUNNY RIVER FIRE UPDATE

96,584 acres with 20% containment

 

Yesterday firefighters made further progress constructing fire containment lines along the north and northwest sides of the Funny River Fire and containment is now at 20 percent.  At 5 PM the fire was 96,584 acres, but enlarged significantly overnight. 409 personnel are assigned to the fire. Aerial resources supporting the fire suppression effort include five helicopters and four CL215 water scooping air tankers from Canada.
The fire continues to actively burn in black spruce and mixed hardwoods due to the continued warm and extremely dry conditions on the Kenai Peninsula. On the east side of the fire westerly winds drove the fire over five miles during an eight hour period; this growth was away from existing communities.  Fire growth to the west towards the Sterling Highway during the day was slow, with the fire backing into the southwest winds.
The Kenai Peninsula Borough’s Community Emergency Services issued an Evacuation Watch for the Pollard Loop Subdivision area in order for residents to prepare in case they may need to leave for safety reasons.
Friday evening the fire’s west flank became extremely active following a wind shift, with highly visible 50 foot flames stretching for several miles as the fire burned on the higher ground. This fire activity was visible from the Sterling Highway. As a cautionary measure, late Friday evening the Community Emergency Services conducted an orderly evacuation of residents living in about 50 homes located between Milepoint 103 and 105 of the Sterling Highway. The evacuation was completed within an hour, with Alaska State Troopers, Emergency Services, and firefighters going door to door to notify all residents. Fire activity decreased by midnight as the fire reached an extensive boggy area and the winds subsided.  Emergency officials then lifted the evacuation order about 1 AM.
Firefighting crews continue to protect the Funny River community to the north and the Bear Creek Subdivision to the southeast of the fire.  Structure protection crews are active in other areas potentially affected by the fire.
Vegetation remains extremely dry on the Kenai Peninsula.  Residents and visitors are urged to use extreme caution with anything that could ignite a fire. Weekend visitors to the area and residents are reminded that fire crews, air and ground equipment are working in close proximity to the Sterling Highway and Funny River Road. Do not block roads to view the fire. Pull off only in safe designated pullouts.
Information about current smoke conditions is available from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation at http://dec.alaska.gov/air/am/smoke.htm
Kenai Peninsula Borough Office of Emergency Services has set up a call line to help homeowners with fire preparedness. Residents can call (907) 714-2495.  Information is available at http://www.borough.kenai.ak.us/emergency-mgmt/fire

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Funny River Fire update: 67,084 acres with 15 percent containment. Red Flag Warning in effect.

ALASKA INTERAGENCY INCIDENT MANAGEMENT5-23-14 - Funny River Fire Update
TYPE 2 TEAM
Rob Allen, INCIDENT COMMANDER
FIRE INFORMATION
PHONE: (907) 714-2484
INCIWEB: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/3878/
EMAIL: funnyriverfire@gmail.com

10:30am May 23, 2014

PDF: 5-23-14 – Funny River Fire Update

FUNNY RIVER FIRE UPDATE
67,084 acres with 15% containment. Red Flag Warning in effect.

The fire is 67,084 acres and is still contained within the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. Good progress was made yesterday with 15% containment achieved with secure line on the north east flank of the fire. There are 374 personnel assigned to fire.

Over 400 people attended public meetings in Kasilof and Funny River last night with the meetings simulcast on a local radio station. Local residents expressed concerns about campfires being allowed in the area over the upcoming Memorial Day weekend with the very dry forest and red flag weather conditions. As of 4pm, May 22, 2014, the fire was 3.5 miles from the Kasilof River, 3 miles east of the Pollard Subdivision, and 3.5 miles from the Cardwell area and less than 2 miles from the Bear Creek Subdivision on Tustumena Lake. The fire perimeter reaches Funny River Road at mile 7.5 to the north and the shores of Tustumena Lake to the south. During last night’s operation, structural fire crews from around the state protected Funny River road. Smoke jumpers were dispatched to the water accessible only Bear Creek subdivision as the fire moved within 2 miles of the subdivision. Today, on the east flank, helicopters with water buckets are assisting crews to protect the Funny River community to the north. The presence of a vegetative fuel break along the northeast boundary of the Refuge has assisted fire crews in protecting the community of Funny River. To the south, an additional fire crew from Oregon is assisting the smokejumpers at Bear Creek subdivision in structure protection activities. On the west flank, crews are working to extend the containment line down to Cole Lake. Four water scooping aircraft (CL215s) are operating to protect the community of Kasilof. These aircraft are scooping water from Tustumena and Skilak Lakes.

An increase in fire activity is expected this afternoon with southwest winds 6 to 12 MPH gusting to 20 MPH. Vegetation remains extremely dry on the Kenai Peninsula. Residents and visitors are urged to use extreme caution with anything that could ignite a fire. Weekend visitors to the area and residents are reminded that fire crews, air and ground equipment are working in close proximity to the Sterling Highway and Funny River Road. Do not block roads to view the fire. Pull off only in safe designated pullouts.

Information about current smoke conditions is available from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation at http://dec.alaska.gov/air/am/smoke.htm

Kenai Peninsula Borough Office of Emergency Services has set up a call line to help homeowners with fire preparedness. Residents can call (907) 714-2495. Information is available at http://www.borough.kenai.ak.us/emergency-mgmt/fire

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Funny River Fire Map 5-23-14