Borough, state, and non-profits work to organize McKinley Fire relief

As of Wednesday morning, the McKinley Fire is seventy percent contained.

As progress has continued on the McKinley Fire in the Caswell area between Willow and Talkeetna, evacuated residents have begun returning home, and the Parks Highway is once again open to two-way traffic.  The speed limit through the fire area has been reduced to forty-five miles per hour, and that stretch of highway has also been classified as a work zone, meaning traffic fines are doubled.

At Tuesday night’s community meeting in Willow, representatives of multiple agencies and organizations shared information on how those affected by the fire can begin the recovery process.

For many who suffered property damage, an early priority will be clearing debris from the fire.  Mat-Su Borough Public Works Director Terry Dolan says the borough’s central landfill and many of its transfer sites will accept personal property damaged by scorching, water, or other factors associated with the McKinley Fire.  Dolan says his department is also working to establish a temporary transfer site closer to the area of the fire to make dropping off damaged property easier on area residents.  In addition, the current Willow transfer site is currently operating two extra days per week.  There are also some locations that are accepting beetle-kill spruce trees and debris.  Full details are available at the Mat-Su Borough website and the Mat-Su Borough Solid Waste Division Facebook page.

Matanuska Electric Association has also made significant progress in restoring power to the area.  According to the briefing by MEA spokesperson Jennifer Castro, electrical service has been restored to all but about twenty meters as of Tuesday night.  Castro says, going forward, work orders for those needing to connect reconstructed buildings will take priority for the next year.  In addition, connection fees are being waived for those who suffered structure loss, and MEA will cover all power infrastructure replacement up to the meter box, provided the reconnection is for the same location.

Multiple aid organizations are working to provide for the needs of those impacted by the McKinley Fire.  The Red Cross has begun distributing relief kits, which include things like shovels, rakes, gloves, and garbage bags for those cleaning up property damaged by the fire.  Those supplies are available both at the Menard Sports Complex and the Upper Susitna Senior Center, as well as delivering them directly in some cases.  All overnight shelter operations are transitioning to the Menard Complex, but the Upper Susitna Senior Center remains available for those in need of a hot meal or shower and laundry services. 

The Alaska Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management is also opening assistance programs for individuals who lost property to the McKinley Fire.  The online application process for those programs begins Thursday.

The incident management team that has coordinated fighting the McKinley Fire is planning to hand over control to another team early next week.