Susitna Valley fire updates

As of Wednesday afternoon, the latest estimate on the Sockeye Fire is 7,555 acres, up forty-three acres from yesterday. More than 400 firefighters are working around-the-clock to fight the fire, which began early Sunday afternoon, and is currently considered the highest priority wildfire in the country.

Tom Kurth, Incident Commander for Sockeye, says that crews are trying to go from a defensive to an offensive posture, meaning they want to begin attacking hot spots and working on containment. He says the situation is still “precarious,” with hot, dry weather in the forecast in coming days.

The Sockeye fire is estimated to have destroyed as many as 100 structures, at least 25 of which are residences. Assessments are underway as conditions allow.

Two lightning-caused fires in the Upper Valley last night are now considered contained, but are not completely out, yet. The fires are labeled Montana Creek East and Montana Creek West, and lie to the east of neighborhoods off of Montana Creek road. Geographically, the fires are much closer to Goose Creek than Montana Creek. On Thursday afternoon Celeste Prescott, Public Information Officer at the incident command post, reported that one of the Montana fires had begun to smoke at one point on Wednesday, but that the ground crews were still in the area, and were able to keep it from flaring up again.

On Wednesday morning, an additional fire report came in at the foot of the Talkeetna Mountains near the North Fork of the Kashwitna River. After multiple flyovers, Celeste Prescott says air crews were unable to locate a new fire. They now believe that the report was the result of smoke from the Montana Creek fire being confused for a new ignition.

A community meeting is scheduled at Houston Middle School at 7:00 p.m. for community members affected by the Sockeye Fire.

KTNA will continue to provide updates on the fires in the Susitna Valley on air, on Facebook, and online at KTNA.org.