Wildfire contained near Caribou Lake

  • By DAN BALMER
  • Monday, May 5, 2014 10:52pm
  • News

A wildfire that grew to 12 acres near Caribou Lake over the weekend took the full resources of the Division of Forestry before being contained Sunday night.

Darren Finley, fire prevention officer for the Division of Forestry said the fire, which started Friday four miles southwest of Caribou Lake, was human-caused and is under investigation.

Caribou Lake is on the southern Kenai Peninsula, about 25 miles northeast of Homer.

The location of the fire made access difficult, so aerial support was called in to transport the Pioneer Peak Hot Shots, a crew of 20 highly trained firefighters from Palmer and helicopters dumped water on the fire, Finley said. The area is being monitored to make sure no hot spots remain and doesn’t restart.

“We pulled all our resources off the fire at the end of their shift (Sunday) night,” he said. “They worked systematically to put that fire to bed.”

In all, firefighter crews responded to seven wildfires throughout the Kenai Peninsula and Kodiak Island over the weekend, bringing the official total to 25 this year.

A small grass fire was reported on North Spruce Street in Kenai Sunday. Kenai Fire Department first responded to the human-caused fire and suppressed the fire within minutes, Finley said. Reports of a possible juvenile in the area couldn’t be confirmed and the case is under investigation, he said.

“It is hard to pinpoint what started the fire,” Finley said. “If we don’t have enough evidence, instances like this are classified as unknown.”

Two separate fire calls on Kodiak Island combined for half an acre before the Women’s Bay Volunteer Fire Department extinguished both fires Saturday. Both were human caused with one a beach fire at Pasagshak Bay and the other a small wildfire at Pasagshak Point.

Finley said the No. 1 cause of wildfires on the Kenai Peninsula is from people burning debris or a campfire with an unsafe platform. Having a clear space free of vegetation around the fire will decrease the chance of it spreading.

The Division of Forestry responded to three incidents of illegal burns over the weekend where people were burning trash without a permit. Finley said burning trash is not a good idea. He said people should follow the burn permit requirements.

The AccuWeather forecast calls for clouds and possible rain showers for the next three days in the Soldotna and Kenai area. While rainfall may bring a brief reprieve from high fire danger, Finley said the forestry crews won’t let their guards down.

“We are not out of the woods yet,” he said.

Reach Dan Balmer at daniel.balmer@peninsulaclarion.com

More in News

Soldotna High School senior Josiah Burton testifies in opposition to the proposed cut of Kenai Peninsula Borough School District theater technicians while audience members look on during a board of education meeting on Monday, March 6, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
School board finance group reviews expenditures ahead of upcoming budget cycle

As the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District prepares to grapple with another… Continue reading

Members of the Kenai/Soldotna Fish and Game Advisory Committee raise hands to vote in favor of a proposal during a meeting at Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association in Kenai, Alaska, on Monday, Nov. 20, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Silver salmon, personal use fishing discussed by advisory committee

The group set their recommendations on a variety of proposals to the State Board of Fisheries

Hoses pump water along Patrick Drive to help mitigate flooding near Kalifornsky Beach Road on Friday, July 21, 2023, near Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Borough spent almost $78k responding to flood events during disaster declaration

Most of the funds were spend in the northwest area of Kalifornsky Beach Road

The National Weather Service’s map shows a winter weather advisory, in orange, effective for much of the eastern Kenai Peninsula. (Screenshot)
Heavy snow, blowing winds forecast for Turnagain Pass on Wednesday

Snow accumulations of up to 16 inches are expected

The Kenai Courthouse is seen on Monday, July 3, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Grand jury adds charges in October killing of Homer woman

The indictment was delivered on Nov. 8

Alaska State Troopers logo.
Anchorage resident arrested in Nikiski after troopers investigate reports of stolen vehicle

Troopers responded to a residential address in Nikiski around 11:30 a.m. after being notified by Sirius XM that a stolen vehicle was there

Santa Claus greets Hudson Reinhardt during Christmas Comes to Kenai festivities at the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center in Kenai, Alaska, on Friday, Nov. 24, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Getting into the holiday spirit

Christmas arrives in Kenai with fireworks, Santa and a lot of rain

Kinley Ferguson tells Santa Claus what she wants for Christmas during Christmas in the Park festivities on Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022, at Soldotna Creek Park in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Creating a winter wonderland

Christmas in the Park to bring Santa, sleigh rides, fireworks on Saturday

Flowers bloom at Soldotna City Hall on Wednesday, June 24, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna to repair failed wastewater pipe

The pipe to be repaired discharges treated effluent into the Kenai River

Most Read