U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Forest Service Alaska Department of Natural Resources U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Division of Parks & Outdoor Recreation Kenai/Prince William Sound Area Kenai National Wildlife Refuge st 161 E. 1 Avenue, Door 8 P.O. Box 1247 PO Box 2139 Anchorage, AK 99501 Soldotna, AK 99669 Soldotna, AK 99669 Press Contact: Alicia King 907-231-0172

September 9, 2019

Agencies Open Areas to the Public for Recreation Access Effective 12:01am on Tuesday, September 10, 2019

CORRECTION: Bottenintnin Lake Day Use Area is reopened on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. It is accessed from the west entrance of Skilak Lake Road on the southside of the road at mile 18.5.

Alaska Department of Natural Resources Division of State Parks announces the reopening of a portion of the Upper previously closed to support firefighting operations. As of 12:01am on Tuesday, September 10, 2019 the Kenai River between the state boat launch at the Cooper Landing bridge and Jim’s Landing will reopen to public use with the exception of the continued closure of a channel on the south side of the river from approximately River Mile 69.5 to River Mile 71.5 will also be closed to support firefighting activity. The previous daytime limitation on this river use has also been removed, allowing for 24 hour public use.

The U.S. Forest Service Chugach National Forest is opening the Campground, Russian Lake Trail, Russian River Falls, Barber Cabin, and the K’Beq Day Use Area for public use. This opening will occur at the same time as the Kenai River reopening: 12:01am on September 10, 2019. Although this area has not been directly affected by fire, stay aware of the firefighting personnel and equipment still active on roads and lands nearby. Visit the Chugach National Forest website https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/chugach/home for details.

The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service Kenai National Wildlife Refuge is opening the following areas to limited use as of 12:01am on September 10, 2019: Jim’s Landing for day use of the boat launch, the overflow parking lot north of the at the Visitor Contact Station, and Lower Skilak Boat Launch for boat launch access. The Kenai River remains closed beyond Jim’s Landing to Skilak Lake for public safety and in support of firefighting efforts. All boats must exit the river at Jim’s Landing. On the west side of Skilak Wildlife Recreation Area, Lower Skilak campground remains closed to public use. Skilak Lake Road from the west entrance at mp 75.2 of Sterling Highway will be opened to allow access to the Lower Skilak boat launch but all lands north of the road remain closed. Additionally all refuge lands that have been burned are closed to public access. Consult the attached closure order for more details. This reopening of some portions of the Kenai River, Chugach National Forest and Kenai National Wildlife Refuge includes some areas that were burned by the . Hazards exist in these burned areas that can be hard to see. Standing trees can be weakened as the fire burns the organic duff layer surrounding their roots. Very light wind or just shifting soils can cause these trees to fall without warning. The fire has burned very deep in some places, leaving ash pits behind. What appears to be solid ground can be empty space still holding heat that is able to cause severe burns. Avoid these burned areas until fire crews have been able to evaluate them for your safety.

Although fire danger has decreased over much of the , residents and visitors should remain aware and prepared. More information, detailed maps, and public safety information can be found online at kpboem.com or by visiting the official website for Chugach National Forest (https://www.fs.usda.gov/chugach/) and Kenai National Wildlife Refuge (kenai.fws.gov). For statewide fire information, visit the AICC website at https://fire.ak.blm.gov/ or http://www.akfireinfo.com.

Department of Natural Resources

DIVISION OF PARKS AND OUTDOOR RECREATION DIRECTOR’S OFFICE 550 West 7th Avenue, Suite 1380 Anchorage, AK 99501-3561 Main: 907.269-8700 Fax: 907-269-8907

DIRECTOR'S ORDER REGARDING CLOSURE OF THE KENAI RIVER SPECIAL MANAGEMENT AREA, FROM JIM’S LANDING TO SKILAK LAKE AND A CHANNEL ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE RIVER FROM APPROXIMATELY RM 69.5 TO RM 71.5 TO ALL BOATING TRAFFIC

Order Number 310

Approved: _____/s/_Ricky Gease______Date: ___9/9/19______Ricky Gease, Director

Background: In response to the Swan Lake fire, the Division recently implemented a boating closure on the upper Kenai River Special Management Area.

Recent rain and reduction of fire activity between and Jim’s Landing allow the division to modify the existing boating closure. The fire incident management team recommends that the boating closure should remain in effect from Jim’s Landing to Skilak Lake.

The purpose of this continued existing closure is to protect public safety by prohibiting any boating on the Kenai River during this fire. This closure does not apply to persons involved in the official emergency response effort or to monitor the welfare of the public or evaluate potential hazards or damage assessments.

The requested action is consistent with 11 AAC 12.335. CLOSURES AND USE MANAGEMENT which allows the Director to close all or a portion of a park to all public use or place restrictions on a use or activity when necessary for public safety or for the protection of natural resources. This closure will help the Division fulfill our responsibilities to protect the safety of park visitors within the Kenai River Special Management Area.

Order: This document closes the Kenai River Special Management Area between Jim’s Landing and Skilak Lake to all boating activity, effective September 10, 2019. In addition, boating activity in a channel on the south side of the river from approximately River Mile 69.5 to River Mile 71.5 will also be closed to support firefighting activity, effective September 10, 2019.

This order rescinds Director’s Order #309. Page 2 of 2

This order will remain in effect until the Director has determined fire activity has diminished and not a risk to public safety.

Under 11 AAC 12.335 Closure and Use Management, section (e), no person may violate these use restrictions.

A person adversely affected by this decision may appeal this decision, in accordance with 11 AAC 02 to Corri A. Feige, Commissioner, Department of Natural Resources, 550 West 7th Avenue, Suite 1400, Anchorage, AK 99501-3561. Any appeal must be received at the above address, or received by being faxed to 907-269-8918, or sent by electronic mail to [email protected] within 20 days after the date of “delivery” of this decision, as defined in 11 AAC 02.040. A copy of 11 AAC 02 may be obtained from any regional information office of the Department of Natural Resources. If no appeal is filed before the end of the period specified, this decision is final. This decision takes effect immediately and will remain in effect until September 30, 2019, unless repealed sooner by Director’s Order.

Termination Of Order Order No. 10-04-30-19-16 Chugach National Forest

Pursuant to Title 36 CFR 261.50(a) [and/or (b)], the prohibitions listed in Order number 10-04- 30-19-16, applicable to the Chugach National Forest, dated August 18, 2019, and signed by Dan Shively is hereby terminated.

Executed in Anchorage, Alaska, this 10th, day of September 2019 and effective as of this date.

/ Jeff E. Schramm

Jeff E. Schramm Forest Supervisor Chugach National Forest

Combined Emergency Area Closure Kenai National Wildlife Refuge and Chugach Naional Forest effective September 10, 2019 150°55'0"W 150°50'0"W 150°45'0"W 150°40'0"W 150°35'0"W 150°30'0"W 150°25'0"W 150°20'0"W 150°15'0"W 150°10'0"W 150°5'0"W 150°0'0"W 149°55'0"W 149°50'0"W 149°45'0"W 149°40'0"W 149°35'0"W 149°30'0"W 149°25'0"W 149°20'0"W 149°15'0"W (!16 Birch Hill Taiga Lake M L u a reek (!10 l e C k r l ppl k L Warbler Lake ri e

60°55'0"N C L a e a r k k Phalarope Lake C e Chickaloon B R e e t i a

v r e s

e C n Norak Lake r re e u k P k S e i ek e n re r c e C rs C k h Wildho (!8 e e se ri e k r r n e u Sunrise C Two Island C l e S l

r i e Cr

Lake e Bradley Peak m

Hook Lake Moon Lake e k

w t

Mount a a S l Alpenglow S ek Aspen Lake Enstar re Cub Creek Otter C Big I ndian C Bedrock ek M Wild Lake reek Cre c 6 F L L ek (! alls a a e Cre k i r ek e n Birch Pipeline C r Snowflake Barbara Lake e Tundra Lake Tree Lake m Shoepac Lake P a l Lake R Scaup Lake P imrock e Ilerum Lake Cr Walke p Sportfish eek r C p re e ek r Gene Lake r Lynx ve L Lake Highla Ri a Lonesome Lake nd n k Lake Cr e ee so k k n e Curlew Lake a Swanson Lakes Nuthatch Lake e (!4 w r S Crooked Lake C e n ak a nL Eider Lake m

o 60°50'0"N ns Old Wo 60°50'0"N a Woods Lake Wonder Sw Wilderness Lake Campers Lake Lake k Blac Cre k k ek e ree e er C Nelso r ld n C e Wi A C Gull Lake llo re e k w ek l Olsjold a Big Indian Cr t Berry Lake e t Owl Lake Lost Lake L ek !2 Sea g Moose ( Snag Lake Lake n Ki Pasture

Kuviak Lake Wren Lake Lake k S Dunlin Lake e Redpoll Lake i Gulc e x h Cr r ee Creek m k Junco Lake C i n l Falcon e io t C Crane Lake Pot Lake c Lake r Leaf Lake e r e Krein Lake r e Lonely Lake C k Lure Chum Chickaloon ball reek u n s Sunrise Lake anno e Lo Lake Lake Lake C R Rodent Lake Embryo e k (!56 a C L Hat Paddle Lake ar Decoy Lake s Pan ibou ru River Pass Creek C Quill Lake G Lake Lake re Lake Trapper ek ldson Cre Goose Lake Tine Lake na ek Do Mouse Lake Snowshoe Grouse Lake Scenic Lake Joe Lake (!58 Lake Gruskka Lake Odd Lake White Creek Antler Lake (!66 k ee Chick Lake Ursus Silvertip r wansonR Pintail Lake Arrow (!54 C Snipe Lake S iv ek e er Lake e re t Campfire Lake Buteo Lake k C (!60 i Lake La hy Kit Lake se nc Wibel n o e a o Fr r 60°45'0"N 60°45'0"N Kayak Lake Rabbit M Kenai NWR G S B wan Creek Little Foot ig Willow Vixen Lake I Ice Lake Merganser Lake Wilderness n dian Cr Cashka Lake eek (!64 Hungry Lake Lake Big Lake Mo Moose Creek

o S !62 Doghouse Merganser se C ( Nest Lake re i Lake Fish ek l Lake Lake Fox Creek v Sabaka Lake Lake Bratlie (!52 Roaring C e Sucker Lake Frank Jay Lake Pass Cr ree rt eek k i Lake p Coyote Lake Cent Rainbow Lake k C er ee Web r B C Birch Lake r e e re Canoe C r e en e C k c k Waterfowl Lake Porcupine Hu n re h Anertz Lake Lake ngry io ek C Teal Lake Muskrat Lake Cr r ee e Lake Ch k ect e ic r e k k k r Cr e e a u Wilson k Gavia l s e o r Drake Lake on e Tributary Creek B l C Dolly Varden Martin Lake R R oc k x Mallard Lake i 50 C Duck v (! r Contact ee n

Lake e k Lake y

Lake Raven Lake r Lake L Breeze Lake Fresno Weed Cre k ek e Spruce e Mink Lake Konchanee Lake r Cygnet M eek C

Lake r n

Creek Lake Skookum Lake y can C i o Lake ste er ne

y Ju au e m Cree ry A n k

k American a a C r C Trout Lake Long Lake L ee M e k (!48 il OtterLak l Duckbill n s Forest Lake a C r e Lake w Dahl k Beaver Forest Lake r Bear Lake e ee k 60°40'0"N S e Peak Col r Wolf Lake Lili Lake v orad C 60°40'0"N o Lake Little Mink e i Cree og k e R k Lower h West Lake Weasel a oos nd L e M Summit ou k k r

Beaver Lake Lili Lake Lake k c a G

L e T o oon C r Lake imb Big Mink Lake Meadow L hi e e R ck ve rl aloon Ri r ine East Finger Lake n C k Cr or e e h a e se Kenai NWR e k Lake Camp Island s (!46 oo e r Butcher Creek ak a C M L n t Lake a s Rhode Silver Lake f a Te A E n Lake South d Moose er Finger Yearling Lake Clam Lake R fo hCreek Quake Mosquito Moose ive o nc r t e Lake ummi C B Lake Lake Swan Lake S t C r re e ek e k Bench Lake Devils Summit Lake ek (!44 uneau Cre Pass Lake ke River J C S t La evils a ormy ek be D Cre ny Cre e ek on Cow r C G te Cree r Doroshin Lake la k ee Lake S k Donkey Lake Johnson Lake Calf Lake Beaver Gilpatrick Gilpatricks Eevook Lake Pond Lake Thur Mountain m Savka Lake an (!42 Cr Sunken ee eek k ry Cr k Hen e Island Lake Juneau Lake e r C n o 60°35'0"N

60°35'0"N s Kenai NWR Q n River Devil's Pass u h o Gagara Lake e Ea a J o s s Brood Lake Chugach rt o t z M For Wilderness C k r (!40 e Browse Lake e Trumpeter k Sevena Trail Tree Lake Lake Tr eek ou Nat'l Lake Afonasi Lake ike Cr t F S Cisca Lake D La a o Campsite Lake k lls C k ldo e reek e t re Jerome Lake n Shaft Creek C

a Imeri Lake tz

C Picnic Lake r

r a k

e ee e Forest u r Q 38 C k (! il Sterling Lily Lake Tra 84 Watson Lake Mystery Creek Derks Lake (! (!82 Upper (!86 Seven Dogteam Lake (!38 (!72 70 Jean Naptowne Lakes (! Scout Lake (!68 Lake Slaughter Creek (!36 D (!78 64 Fuller Lake Tern Lake ave e (!80 (!76 (!74 Equmen Lake (!66 (! 40 s (! k (!62 C r a Whisper e e L Langille k Lake !88 (!16 Petersen Lake Hikers Lake (!42 l ( Mox Lake Mountain (!34 Moos i Chatelain Round e Cr e a Lark Bottenintnin e r Sterling Mountain J k T Kelly Lake Lake u B r Mountain Lake Marsh Lake n e (!90 e e p Longmere Hideout Hill Jean Lake a a p u n Quartz U (!12 (!14 (!32 (!30 Lake Funny River (!60 C C r re Carte J e ek r C H e ek r Fuelbreak a e 60°30'0"N n e k 60°30'0"N i C (!46 Wrong d re d ek (!44

(!48 Mountain Grant e e Creek n Cooper Landing Moose Pass k (!56 (!54 Lake a Engineer Lake L a (!50 Snug Harbor Carter Lake L k e (!58 L V Ray Peak er s Torpedo Lake Cresce v n (!52 nt i w Pack Lake C ai R (!10 o ree Ken Br k Right (!28 Mountain Su rpr Forest Service i D se ry H C r C e r e i ee d e k k Blizzard Lake d k Olson Creek Helen e a n L Mount Madson C Gwin Peak

r Boundary Vagt Lake 8 Rock Lake t (! Lower e

e Russian n !6 Kaknu Lake Ohmer Upper k Lower e ( Mountain Helen Rhode s c Ohmer Russian Co C r e Lake Mountain o Hunters Lake Lake pe (!26 Lake r Lower Trail Olson C Lake Bear Mountain re Lake ek Falls Creek

Tea Lake k Sahot Lake e North Shore e K r C Crown Point ill Frisbee Lake ey r Cree R e an k t Falls ig iv l e Russian i m F r u r h a c (!24 t n C of Skilak Lake S n P y R o 60°25'0"N 60°25'0"N i v o er Skilak Lake P K Muskwa Village ta p r i Lakes Trail m lle ig k Lawing an e e Lak y e e r r Ri C ve Swan Lake n k e

r o e K k k e a Black s e n L

t L r a i

ee e C t Mountain

r !22 S ( a e

C n i Creek y k p Sleeping Sister y t ck n e u k o

c R u Mountain e

Cooper r o re

Sk o C C C i P ow g la Mountain Noel ead

n o k M i R

t K i Hanson t v o er n us ive Mountain w R sian R r P k

o i k e p Upper e e o e r Kenai NWR e r d C C Victor Creek C Russian C er Ship r r d (!20 e e l e Lake u k e Lakeview Wilderness k o Mount Adair B 150°55'0"W 150°50'0"W 150°45'0"W 150°40'0"W 150°35'0"W 150°30'0"W 150°25'0"W 150°20'0"W 150°15'0"W 150°10'0"W 150°5'0"W 150°0'0"W 149°55'0"W 149°50'0"W 149°45'0"W 149°40'0"W 149°35'0"W 149°30'0"W 149°25'0"W 149°20'0"W 149°15'0"W Swan Lake Closure Area ! !! !! !! !! !! Pipeline Uncontrolled Fire Edge Miles Sterling Fuelbreak Completed Line 0 4 8 ¯ Combined Emergency Area Closure Kenai National Wildlife Refuge and Chugach National Forest effective September 10, 2019

Fal ls Cre Dike Cre ek e k Shaft Creek Trout Lake

Upper My ster y Cr Jean Lake eek Jea nC S r Kenai NWR Fuller Lake l e au e gh k Wilderness ter Cr eek

J Jean Lake u n ea

u

C B r e e e a k n Creek Jim's Sportsman's enai Landing Landing K River Cooper Kenai Lake Landing

S h a c k

l

e

f o r d River Open C r

e

e

k Kenai NWR Kenai NWR k Lower e Wilderness e r r Russian Chugach Nat'l C C ve S o Ri u op n i rp er e na r Lake d Ke is Forest C d e i C k r r ee ee H k k e Kenai River corridor open 200 feet from waters edge e r on both sides of river, from Cooper Landing to Jim's Landing. C n Cooper Lake o s A channel on south side of river (approx. RM69.5-71.5) remains t e closed. Area closed beyond Jim's Landing. St

Skilak Lake

River Access Open Swan Lake Fire Closure Area River Access Uncontrolled Fire Edge ¯ Sept. 10, 2019 Completed Line Miles 0 1 Combined Emergency Area Closure Kenai National Wildlife Refuge and Chugach National Forest effective September 10, 2019

Imeri Lake Lily Lake Watson Lake Seven Lakes S terling Hig East Fork Equmen Lake hway

Petersen Lake K ell yLa Hikers Lake ke Mox Lake Bottenintnin Lake S kil ak Marsh Lake La ke R d Kenai NWR Hi dd e n L a k e

Torpedo Lake Engin Pack Lake ee r

L

a

k e Lower Skilak Lake Boat Launch Blizzard Lake

enai River K Area east of Skilak Lake Road to the Lower Lower Skilak Lake Boat Launch closed to public access Ohmer Lake Kenai NWR Skilak Lake Kaknu Lake Wilderness Lower Skilak Lake Swan Lake Fire Closure Area Uncontrolled Fire Edge ¯ Boat Launch Access Completed Line Miles Sept. 10, 2019 0 1