The Swan Lake fire in Alaska has exploded in size. Just three days ago it was 3,500 acres and now it has nearly tripled in size, with fire crews switching from monitoring the fire to fighting it. Here is what you need to know about the Swan Lake Fire, including maps, containment and size, and more.
According to Inciweb, the Swan Lake Fire is currently 8,400 acres in size. However, that update was released on Friday morning. KSRM is reporting that the fire is now about 11,000 acres in size as of Saturday.
So far no evacuations have been issued for this fire. Stay tuned to local sources for updates on evacuations.
Here’s roughly where it’s located. It’s about 2.7 miles north of Sterling Highway and 5.5 miles northeast of Sterling, KSRM noted.
Inciweb
And here is a map of the Swan Lake fire, released by Inciweb on June 14.
Inciweb
The fire in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge was started by lightning, Inciweb shared. It’s about eight miles northeast of Sterling, Alaska. Unfortunately, southeast winds may help the fire grow more. But the northeast corner of the fire is expected to burn toward a marshy area that will stop it from spreading in that direction.
Inciweb wrote in their latest update on Friday: “Yesterday west winds pushed the lightning-caused Swan Lake Fire further east into the Dave Spencer Unit of the Kenai Wilderness. Crews observed shifting winds throughout the day and reported periods of increased fire behavior as they worked on the southwest section of the fire, preparing to defend the gas pipeline and improve indirect fireline along the East Fork of the Moose River.”
Crews are focusing on the southwest corner of the fire so they can protect the Sterling community, KTUU reported. They’re also concerned about the Enstar Gas pipeline which supplies Anchorage customers, so they are working to protect that region too.
Here’s a photo of the fire when it was just 3,500 acres in size.
Smoke can be seen from miles 65 to 75 on Sterling Highway, KTUU reported.
This is a developing story.