At least two wildfires happening in Alaska today (5/19/2014)

Ok ATS!
I'm asking for help! I can't find an update on our fire anywhere out there.
If any of our Alaska " reporters" are around, PLEASE UPDATE US!!!
If any of our firefighters see this, please let us know! We. Know you are working your tails off, we just need to know where it's at!

The latest info anywhere is that it grew to 44,000+ acres by bedtime last night.
Please, please, please, let us know what is going on!!

a reply to: woodsmom

I found what seems to be some recent info? 5% contained? you probably already saw this...

Firefighters from across Alaska and around the Lower 48 are into a fourth day battling two large wildfires. Throughout the day, KTUU.com will provide updates important to Southcentral residents in this post as information becomes available:

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FUNNY RIVER

-- With 150-plus firefighters on scene, the fire was 5 percent contained overnight Wednesday and into the early hours of Thursday. This marks the first time the fire has not been completely uncontrolled. What made the difference was the influx of personnel and aircraft, including water bombers from Alberta, Canada. "We're finally able to work on this fire on different fronts, to really start gaining ground," said Brad Nelson, spokesperson for Central Emergency Services.

-- Michelle Weston, Alaska Division of Forestry spokesperson, said the Funny River wildfire -- which rose from 10 acres to nearly 1,000 acres Monday, swelling to 20,000 acres Tuesday night -- had an estimated footprint of 44,423 acres as of late Wednesday.

-- No evacuations have been ordered in Kasilof, Soldotna or anywhere else, but some people are getting prepared to move large trailers, horses and other things that could be cumbersome if an evacuation is ordered, according to Nelson.

-- There will be two community meetings tonight: the first at Tustumena Elementary School in Kasilof at 6 p.m. and another at Funny River Road Community Center at 8 p.m. The incident commander and an array of fire officials will take questions from the community and outline what would need to happen if an evacuation is ordered.

-- A temporary flight restriction is still in place over Funny River, with no pilots allowed to fly between sea level and 4,000 feet. Pilots planning trips to the village should check Federal Aviation Agency NOTAM 4/4812 if they intend to fly in the area. The Soldotna Airport remains open and flights are taking off as scheduled, according to the city.

-- Flights are still allowed in and out of the Soldotna Airport, and an employee reported decent visibility through the haze early Thursday. Pilots should check current information before takeoff if they intend to land in Soldotna.

-- Air quality in communities across the Kenai Peninsula is poor, and residents are cautioned to stay inside if they have breathing problems due to ash and smoke settling now that the wind has died down. A significant haze is also hanging over the hillside in Anchorage, which prompted dozens of phone calls to emergency responders and an air quality warning to address the many calls of people thinking the smoke came from a fire close home.

-- While many people want to see the fire, the Alaska State Troopers are patrolling to keep people back from Funny River Road so fire personnel can respond without traffic interference. Anyone who wants a safe vantage point is encouraged to go to Mile 106 of the Sterling Highway in Soldotna.

www.ktuu.com...

a reply to: GoShredAK

Thanks, I just heard that it is 5% contained and that's a start.
They are having a hard time seeing it.

I just heard a gentleman call into KSRM and say that he saw unattended burning slash piles along Funny River road. Still no evacuations, but as of last night the flames were closer to my house as the crow flies than they were to Kasilof.

Thanks GoShred!!
Leave it to ATS !

a reply to: GoShredAK

Yeah, we read that as soon as I posted!
Thank you. Sorry, it's frustrating to not know when it's so close.
We may have found a map too. Give me a minute.

Here you go, they seem to have updated things as I posted!
Thank you!!
The 5% contained seems to be facing soldotna on the funny river road end of the fire.

a reply to: woodsmom

Thanks! It's hard to tell what's going on, it seems less smoky today, last night it looked like a cloud of doom was descending upon us...from the bluff you cant really see much, a very different scene from the past two days that's for sure.

originally posted by: woodsmom

Here you go, they seem to have updated things as I posted!
Thank you!!
The 5% contained seems to be facing soldotna on the funny river road end of the fire.

Wow, that's a big fire.

Thanks for the map!

a reply to: GoShredAK

The smoke has blown up to Anchorage and the valley. It has descended. My house was full of smoke yesterday, it's a bit lighter this morning, but still sitting right on top of us. The afternoons have been better because the column rises.

I'm glad they posted one up.

a reply to: GoShredAK

What up Shred? Warmer than usual?

I'll post a few pics later for you. Last winter I built a cabin for a friend 24 miles down Funny River Road. The fire is at his door step. I told him to do the jingle.....

"like a good neighbor, Statefarm is there!!!"

a reply to: AK907ICECOLD

lol, "with rain!"

but ya, I would say so, warm dry and windy.

Although it seems like the seasons are getting progressively weirder so I don't know what normal is anymore.

It looked like Beijing in town this morning. I woke up to the smell of smoke ...

Man, I had a job way down k-beach road and got a somewhat up close look. Insane, this thing is gnarly.

Anybody know if we've made it beyond the aforementioned 5% containment? Because it sure isn't looking any better here at the end of the day.

Here is a doozy of an update folks,

As the threat looms, residents on the Kenai Peninsula have watched warily as the fire grew from its initial reported size of 5 acres to a 63,425-acre behemoth according to the interagency team that has moved into the area to manage the blaze.

peninsulaclarion.com...

Not getting better,

Good news!
They have it 15% contained and we will have 200-400 people on it this weekend!
The town meeting disseminated a lot of good info.

The last I heard, they will be trying to give 24-12-6 hour notices to evacuate. They are drawing up those plans now, according to KSRM.

You may not see me e rest of the weekend! Have a good one and be safe!!

a reply to: GoShredAK

suspicious fires

No, no, no,......well..I hope not, it's just the conditions all fell into place.

No nefarious activity

Hi there, came across this thread a coupld of days ago and now I'm watching it. I have a couple of close friends who are presently in Alaska (one from elementary school and the other from high school).



Apparently there's a third fire...

While hundreds of firefighters focus their efforts on controlling two blazes scorching huge stretches of Southcentral Alaska, different crews are farther north attacking a third wildfire.

The good news...

Even with resources diverted around the state, Slater said they have the “number of personnel on the fire that are needed.”

“Should that number be required to increase, we have other resources within the Alaska interagency fighting organizations,” Slater said.

Alyeska Pipeline Believed Not Threatened by Fire 1 Mile Away
www.ktuu.com...

One friend in Alaska just told me a few minutes ago that the two biggest fires are so hot that they're creating their own weather system. Please check for yourself the validity of this claim.

Stay safe Everyone!

Antonia

a reply to: Antoniastar

Holy cow thanks for this info.....maybe Pepsi badd is on to something. A third wildfire and this one near a pipeline?!

That is slightly suspicious....looks like the smoke is getting bad again too, this sucks

a reply to: GoShredAK

Not suspicious at all but definitely something to be aware of, especially if you're in Alaska. I strongly believe that these fires are Nature-made, not man-made.

The dry and windy conditions combined with an oil explosion can't be good. But would flowing oil be more or less of a problem than stagnant oil in case of ignition?

Controllers can stop pipeline flow within four minutes.

Source

Either way, unless the pipe was compromised by fire - or whatever - exposing the pipe, there shouldn't be a problem other than over-heating which could ultimately cause an explosion.

A fire one mile away from the pipeline containing highly combustible fumes is absolutely nothing to take casually. It's a very serious matter.

And who is "Pepsi Badd"? Is that a joke because I don't find anything humorous about this situation.

Peace,

Antonia

originally posted by: Antoniastar
a reply to: GoShredAK

Not suspicious at all but definitely something to be aware of, especially if you're in Alaska. I strongly believe that these fires are Nature-made, not man-made.

The dry and windy conditions combined with an oil explosion can't be good. But would flowing oil be more or less of a problem than stagnant oil in case of ignition?

Controllers can stop pipeline flow within four minutes.

Source

Either way, unless the pipe was compromised by fire - or whatever - exposing the pipe, there shouldn't be a problem other than over-heating which could ultimately cause an explosion.

A fire one mile away from the pipeline containing highly combustible fumes is absolutely nothing to take casually. It's a very serious matter.

And who is "Pepsi Badd"? Is that a joke because I don't find anything humorous about this situation.

Peace,

Antonia

Pepsi badd was the first to say "suspicious fires" which is where I got that from. (just a few posts above on this very page.)

No, I agree, not funny, I just woke up to very low visibility and major smoke coverage, the worst it's been for my family yet. It absolutely reeks of woodsmoke. Kinda scary.

Thank you very much for the info, but ya, I'm not laughing about dang thing. We're about to do a minor evac out to my moms house cause this not looking good.