Gov. Mike Dunleavy has declared May 7-13 as “Wildland Fire Prevention and Preparedness Week” in Alaska to help raise awareness for the longer wildfire seasons and increased fire activity of recent years. The governor joins fire managers from the Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection, Bureau of Land Management Alaska Fire Service, and the […]
May 7 – 13 is AK Wildland Fire Prevention and Preparedness Week
Kids noticed black smoke out our front window emanating from the trees so Claire and I went to investigate.
You know the delay in your brain that happens when you expect to see one thing (like a bonfire with tires) and there is something entirely different (a burning vehicle) and your not sure there’s a person in there or not? Yeah.
About the time my brain registered what was going on, there was a small explosion, probably the battery, which really startled me. Then my neighbor saw me and hollered at me to get away in case the gas tank explodes.
Time is so strange, it seems to happen so slowly but really it was just seconds.
So at least I knew the old Capt was okay, he was standing in the street. We were both on the phone with 911.
I’m so thankful that our neighbor seems to be okay and the fire didn’t spread to his cabin. The fire department arrived very quickly too.
#grateful #thankful #blessed
Things are greening up quickly. Picked a few rhubarb stalks and some chives.
Then the kids and I headed out to hunt some morels. They are quite abundant this year after last year’s fires.
We picked a nice batch. I cleaned enough to whip up some creamy morel pasta. Oh yeah, it is good.
Might have to have seconds… Is your mouth watering?
Up the road from us about 10 or so miles. Prayers for those in harm’s way. Rain would be good Abba.
Central Emergency Services from Soldotna, the Nikiski Volunteer Fire Department and Kachemak Bay Emergency Services also responded with engines and firefighters to assist in suppression efforts. Three air retardant tankers were called in to drop retardant on the fire and two helicopters conducted bucket work on the fire and another was enroute. There was also a U.S. Forest Service engine that responded to the fire.. Despite the aggressive initial attack efforts, the fire continued to grow and was estimated at 75 acres by 3 p.m.
The evacuation was expanded to include residential areas on the north and south sides of the Kenai River after the fire jumped the Kenai Keyes Road. The fire doubled in size to 150 acres by 5 p.m. and was estimated at 640 acres about an hour later. The fire was threatening to cross from the north side to the south side of the Kenai River but that hadn’t happened as of 7:30 p.m., though the fire had spotted across the river in a few spots. A helicopter was being used to extinguish those spot fires to prevent the fire from becoming active on the south side of the river.The Kenai Peninsula Borough Emergency Services Department set up an information center for resident to get information about the fire. The center can be reached at (907) 714-2495.
Alaska on my mind... 