Wildfire south of Anchorage draws emergency response

A wildfire near McHugh Creek Park erupted late Saturday night about a quarter of a mile uphill from the park’s upper parking lot. Camp volunteer Mike DeCenso was the first to spot the fire and call 911.

“The smoke was coming up through the canyons there, so I watched it and figured out it was a real fire on the ground, so I called 911 and got the fire dispatch and they sent out about eight equipment engines,”  DeCenso said late Sunday morning, as he and reporters scanned the hilltop, where billows of smoke indicated the location of the blaze.

Chugach State Park ranger Tom Crokett said responders got there about midnight Saturday, but were unable to reach the fire with mobile equipment, and foot crews startled a mother bear and cubs, and had to retreat for a while.

The fire had spread to about 25 acres by 8 am Sunday morning, when crews reconvened, Crockett says. By mid- morning Sunday, Alaska Division of Forestry crews were on site, and two helicopters attacked the fire by air, dipping buckets into nearby Turnagain Arm for water. Crockett spoke just before noon, standing at the entrance to McHugh Creek parking lot, which was closed to the public and used as a staging point for fire operations.

“..and it [the fire]  is being actively supressed by two forestry helos that are doing bucket drops with salt water from the Inlet. A hand crew is being ordered up from Palmer forestry and should be on site in the next hour or so. They will also bring with them some pumps so they can use the water from McHugh Creek to actively work the flanks of the fire. ”

The helicopters put on quite a show for travelers on the Seward highway, and traffic slowed as passersby stopped for photos of the operation. By early afternoon, an air tanker dispatched from Fairbanks dropped retardant on the blaze.

Crockett said the fire does not threaten homes or structures. As to the cause of the blaze:

“Unknown. Haven’t checked the site yet, and I can’t speculate until we actually get up and take a look at the point of origin.”

It is the third fire reported close to McHugh Creek park this year.

A long plume of white smoke drifted out over the inlet, as helicopters dipped their buckets and a spotter plane circled over the area. The State Department of Transportation has issued a warning of smoke visible between mile post 112 and 117 on the highway.