Sockeye Fire Update

At a press conference on Monday afternoon, Governor Bill Walker accepted a request from the Mat-Su Borough that the Sockeye Fire be declared an official disaster.

Personnel from the borough and the Division of Forestry are still assessing the damage from the fire that grew to 6,500 acres by midnight on Sunday. The fire was slowed overnight when the wind and temperature decreased.

Currently, the fire has not reached the Willow townsite, but maps from the Division of Forestry show that it is not far away. Borough and state personnel say that priority one is life safety. Once life safety has been assured, then the priority can move to structures. Tom Kurth, spokesman for the Division of Forestry says, “Structures can be replaced. Lives can’t.”

Fire crews from around Southcentral are responding to the Sockeye Fire, as are a growing number of hotshot crews from Outside. Kurth says that, because the fire season in the Lower 48 is generally at a different time than in Alaska, more resources are available to help fight the blaze.

The current evacuation zone is from Mile 77 of the Parks Highway to Mile 63. At last report, the Parks Highway was open, with traffic using one lane with pilot cars. The status of the highway is subject to change, depending on developments in the Sockeye Fire.

Two evacuation points have been set up by the Red Cross. One is at Houston Middle School, and the other is at the Upper Susitna Senior Center in Sunshine.

This is a developing story. KTNA will provide more information as it becomes available.