Great Basin National Incident Management Swan Lake Fire

Team 1 August 25, 2019 Update

Fire Size: A community meeting will be held tonight at the Sterling Community Center at 6:00 pm. 148,329 acres On Saturday afternoon, the fire was active approximately 1.5 miles south of the Sterling Objectives Met: Highway, within the Skilak Wildlife Recreation Area. Fixed wing aircraft took action and 20% dropped water on this area, to minimize fire growth. The acreage growth from yesterday is 31 acres, although the recent infrared flight was likely impacted by cloud cover. A crew was Resources: assigned to operations on Saturday to Road and through the Hand Crews: 18 night. The crew will repeat this patrol on Sunday night. Helicopters: 4 Watertenders: 7 Temporary delays of the Sterling Highway remain possible. Closure information is available at Engines: 16 511..gov, kpoem.com, and on Facebook at KPB Alerts. A travel plan for these delays is Dozers: 4 available at: https://tinyurl.com/y6s3n5jh. Heavy firefighting equipment will be on the highway. Driving with more caution than normal while on the highway is advised.

Total Personnel: Towards Sterling, the southwestern edge of the fire remains staffed with firefighters 589 Sterling: and is secure. Sterling will still continue to be impacted by smoke. Structures that are being Location: protected in this area remain secure. 5 miles northeast of the Sterling, AK Cooper Landing: Crews have been working to establish firelines in the Fuller Lake Trail area to secure the east flank north of the highway. Boats continue to be used to shuttle crews across Started: the to reinforce control lines on the south side of the river in the Surprise Creek 06/05/2019 area, there firefighters have a mile of progress to date. While the threat of a jokulhaups (glacial outburst flood) remains, local boat operators feel that firefighting efforts are not likely to be Cause: impacted adversely by flooding. Firefighters continue to work to improve lines north of the Lightning Sterling Highway, and to provide structure protection along the Resurrection Trail. Crews continue to work to minimize impact to the community and roadways. Management: Great Basin National Incident Weather: A weak low pressure system will be approaching the Gulf of Alaska, bringing Management Team 1 shifting winds out of the northwest to out of the southwest. Smoke will remain in the fire area on Sunday, especially in Cooper Landing. Clouds are anticipated to increase through the day. For more information: While a slight chance of light and isolated showers is possible, the chance for a wetting rain remains unlikely. The weather continues to be dry, with above average temperatures. Borough: http://kpboem.com/ Evacuations and Closures: Cooper Landing and the Sterling neighborhoods east of Feuding

Lane and east of Adkins Road remain in a READY status since 08/18/19 when the Swan Lake AK Fire Info: Fire activity increased. A READY notification is NOT a notice to leave. This notification https://akfireinfo.com/ means that you must be ready for potential evacuation if there is a fire in your local area. Assist InciWeb: family members with special needs, arrange to move mobile property (boats, trailers, ATV), https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/inci and prepare pets or livestock. Check for further information on www.kpboem.com, or call the dent/6387/ Borough Call Center at 907-262-INFO (4636) for updates.

Information Line: Closures in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge include the entire length of Skilak Lake Road 208-391-3488 and all adjacent recreational trails and day use areas. The Russian River Ferry is closed. The Upper Kenai River between the Cooper Landing State Boat Launch and where the river enters Air Quality: Skilak Lake is closed to all public use. Closures on the include the https://www.purpleair.com/m Russian River Campground, K’Beq Day Use Area, Russian River Falls, and the Russian Lakes ap?#10.18/60.4725/-149.7468 Trail from the Russian River Campground south including Barber Cabin. Closures remain in place on Resurrection Pass Trail from the junction of Devil’s Pass south to the Sterling Highway, including the following public use cabins: West Swan Lake, Swan Lake, Trout, Romig, and Juneau.

Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR): A TFR is in place for air space over the Swan Lake Fire (9/5040 NOTAM). The TFR includes unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), or drones, as well. Flying drones near wildfires could cause injury or death to firefighters as a result of a mid-air collision with tactical firefighting aircraft.