The Swan Lake Fire, as seen from the Mystery Hills, burns Wednesday, on the Kenai Peninsula. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

The Swan Lake Fire, as seen from the Mystery Hills, burns Wednesday, on the Kenai Peninsula. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Swan Lake Fire grows overnight

As of Tuesday night it had reached 3,665 acres in size

The Swan Lake Fire continues to burn in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge northeast of Sterling, and as of Tuesday night it had reached 3,665 acres in size — an increase of 1,000 acres from the previous day. The fire was caused by lightning last Wednesday and is burning in a limited protection area within the refuge.

Division of Forestry Public Information Officer Sarah Saarloos said that the area where the fire is burning is dense with highly flammable black spruce and has not seen a natural fire since 1947. As a result, fire managers from the Alaska Division of Forestry are working with refuge personnel to actively monitor the fire while allowing the natural burn process to occur.

The fire is about 2.7 miles north of the Sterling Highway at its closest point, but Sarloos said that the fire has mostly spread away from the highway to the northeast and northwest and is not likely to threaten any critical infrastructure or populated areas. According to a Wednesday, June 12 update from the Division of Forestry, the area between the highway and the fire consists mostly of wetlands and sparse patches of fuel that will limit its spread. A type 3 incident management team from the Division of Forestry is developing plans to ensure the protection of communities and mitigate smoke and fire impacts to the Sterling Highway.

“If it does start growing towards the highway, we have operational resources ready to be deployed to keep the highway open,” Saarloos said.

A smoke advisory is still in effect for the Sterling Highway from Mile 65 to 75, and motorists are advised to slow down and use caution driving through the fire area. Due to the ongoing fire activity, several access routes within the refuge have been closed to the public: Mystery Creek Ranch Road, East Fork Moose River north of Watson Lake and the Enstar Pipeline right-of-way from the refuge boundary east of Sterling to the Chickaloon River. The closures will remain in effect through July 11, and anyone with questions regarding the closures can call the refuge at 907-262-7021.

For the latest information on the Swan Lake Fire and other wildfires on the peninsula, visit www.akfireinfo.com or www.kpboem.com.

More in News

A map of areas proposed for annexation by the City of Soldotna. (Provided by City of Soldotna)
Soldotna adds annexation proposal to ballot

The proposed annexation is split across five small areas around the city.

Nets are extended from North Kenai Beach in Kenai, Alaska, during the first day of the Kenai River personal use dipnet fishery on Thursday, July 10, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
‘A really good day’

Kenai River personal use sockeye salmon dipnet fishery opens.

The entrance to the Kenai Peninsula Borough building in Soldotna is seen here on June 1. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
Borough assembly to consider ordinance to increase residential property tax exemption

If approved by voters in October, the ordinance would increase the tax exemption by $25,000.

Vice President Kelly Cooper speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly in Soldotna, Alaska, on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Borough considers seasonal sales tax rate

Borough sales tax would be modified from a flat 3% to a seasonal model of 4% in summer months and 2% in winter months.

The Kasilof River is seen from the Kasilof River Recreation Area, July 30, 2019, in Kasilof, Alaska. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)
King salmon fishing on Kasilof closes Thursday

If any king salmon is caught while fishing for other species, they may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately.

Un’a, a female sea otter pup who was admitted to the Alaska SeaLife Center in June 2025, plays with an enrichment toy at the center in Seward, Alaska. Photo courtesy of the Alaska SeaLife Center
SeaLife Center admits 2 seal pups, 1 orphaned otter

The three pups join the Alaska SeaLife Center’s ‘growing’ patient list.

James Wardlow demonstrates flilleting a salmon with an ulu during a smoked salmon demonstration, part of Fish Week 2023, on Wednesday, July 19, 2023, at the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Refuge to celebrate all things fish during weeklong event

Fish Week will take place July 16-19.

President Zen Kelly speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, July 7, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
School board finalizes budget with deep cuts to programming, classrooms

Multiple members of the board said they were frustrated by the state’s failure to fund education.

Most Read