56-acre Wildfire north of Wasilla now one-hundred percent contained

Part of the burn scar of the Moose Meadows Fire as seen on Sunday, May 17, 2020. Photo by Stephanie Bishop/Alaska Division of Forestry.

A 56-acre wildfire north of Wasilla is now 100 percent contained, according to the Alaska Division of Forestry.

The fire was first reported Saturday afternoon about six miles north of Wasilla on Moose Meadows Road, not to be confused with the subdivision of the same name in Susitna.

More than fifty firefighters responded to Moose Meadows, including the Alaska Division of Forestry, West Lakes Fire Department, the Pioneer Peak Hotshot Crew and Gannet Glacier Fire Crew. The area of the fire was not road accessible, so responders either hiked in or used ATVs.  In addition, aircraft dumped water and retardant on the fire in an attempt to prevent its spread.

The fire is believed to be human-caused, though the specific cause is still under investigation.

Members of the Pioneer Peak Hotshot Crew work to remove a tree from a burned area of the Moose Meadows Fire on Sunday, May 17, 2020. Photo by Stephanie Bishop/Alaska Division of Forestry.

By Sunday evening, the fire was listed as completely contained.  The Division of Forestry says conditions in the Mat-Su are dry, and fire danger is very high.  As Memorial Day Weekend approaches, they ask that the public heed the burn permit suspension that went into effect on May 1st.