Public Radio for Alaska's Bristol Bay
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Lime Hills Fire Jumps Stony River 6 Miles from Lime Village

Alaska Interagency Coordination Center

The massive Lime Hills fire has crossed the Stony River, which had been protecting Lime Village from the state’s largest wildfire.  It crossed about 6 miles east of the village due to a wind shift from a small localized storm.  A crew supported by 2 helicopters with buckets was unable to catch the new fire. Air tankers were initially ordered and then canceled.  Crews are now protecting the village from the east side.  Francis Mitchell is with the state Division of Forestry.

"They've cut line, they've got hoses laid there so they can use water if the fires comes towards the village.  If the fire is to get to the village, the fire would need to travel from east to west from where it is on that side of the river," said Mitchell.

This fire has gained 90,000 acres in the last 3 days, and  is now burning over 265 thousand acres. 65 crewmembers worked Wednesday on improving other contingency lines west and north of Lime Village Firefighters stand by with hoses and pumps at a small settlement on the river east of the village.

The fire in Lake Clark National Park has grown to 20 thousand acres.  12 crewmembers are securing cabins and outbuildings, a total of 8 structures within a mile and a half of the fire.  The fire has already scorched a small runway.

Across the state, 372 fires have burned 673 thousand acres.

Related Content