The Card Street fire near Sterling and two fires near Cooper Landing continue to burn on the Kenai Peninsula.
As of Sunday morning, the Card Street fire was estimated to be around 7,700 acres. Over the weekend, it continued to burn over marshlands and recreational areas around Skilak Lake into the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.
Cooler temperatures, higher humidity, and favorable winds continued to push the fire away from residential areas and all evacuations were lifted on Saturday.
According to the Washington Interagency Command Team, which is leading firefighting efforts, the fire is 20% contained.
Skilak Loop Road and the Skilak recreation area will remain closed until conditions improve.
385 personnel are working on the fire and a total of 11 structures have been destroyed.
Near the community of Cooper Landing, the Stetson Creek and Juneau Lake fires continue to burn, though they haven’t grown much since the end of last week.
As of Sunday evening, Stetson Creek was estimated at 212 acres and Juneau Lake at 488 acres.
Although it’s the smaller fire, Stetson Creek is burning near the Sterling Highway and is in the vicinity of populated areas. Crews from Oregon, the Alaska Midnight Sun Hotshots, and a Chugach National Forest team worked through the weekend to establish a perimeter and protect assets near the highway. It’s estimated to be 30% contained.
The Juneau Lake fire is 10% contained. A crew came in by helicopter to protect structures on Juneau Lake and secure the fire’s edge along the west and south.
134 personnel are working on both Cooper Landing fires.
The Card Street fire is listed as human-caused while the Stetson Creek and Juneau Lake fires were caused by lightning strikes.
A burn ban is in place for the entire Kenai Peninsula, including the Chugach National Forest.
