Crews battle Montana Creek Fire along Parks Highway south of Talkeetna

Firefighters on Saturday were battling a fire about 2 miles northeast of the community of Montana Creek — near Mile 95 of the Parks Highway — that grew rapidly as warm, dry conditions in much of the state fueled additional fire activity.

The Montana Creek Fire, which was reported around 3:15 p.m. Saturday, grew quickly from a quarter acre to about 20 acres, Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection officials wrote in an update. By 6:30 p.m. Saturday, the fire was estimated between 70 and 100 acres, KTNA reported, based on information from state fire officials.

At least three wildland fire engines, two helicopters, two scoopers, a fire retardant aircraft and a load of smokejumpers were responding, among other resources, fire officials wrote in their post. Flames up to 5 feet were observed and trees were torched as the blaze burns in an area with black spruce, fire officials wrote.

By 8:45 p.m. Saturday, crews were able to slow the spread of the fire “with the use of hose lays, aerials assets and multiple fire apparatus from a large contingency” of fire departments within the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, the Division of Forestry and Fire Protection said.

Firefighters were “making good progress towards suppression efforts,” state fire officials said Saturday night, noting that aerial water drops would continue into Sunday.

The Parks Highway remained open Saturday evening, but drivers were asked to slow down and provide a safe corridor to the fire area for firefighting personnel as crews continued to work around Mile 96, fire officials said. Alaska State Troopers said around 5:30 p.m. Saturday that residential roads between Mile 94 and 98 were “only open to residential traffic.”

Given the active fire behavior along much of the perimeter, the Mat-Su Borough urged residents along Leroy Davie and Montana Creek roads to enter “set” status (part of the “Ready, Set, Go” fire preparedness framework) — meaning that they should be prepared to evacuate on short notice if fire conditions worsen.

“This is NOT an evacuation order at this time,” the Division of Forestry and Fire Protection said Saturday night.

The Upper Susitna Community & Senior Center said on Facebook that it was open for anyone needing shelter as a result of the Montana Creek Fire.

State fire officials said that burn suspensions continue to remain in effect for the Matanuska-Susitna, Valdez/Copper River, Fairbanks, Delta and Tok areas until conditions improve.

On the Kenai Peninsula, a wildfire near Tustumena Lake in the Kasilof area forced evacuations of the nearby Tustumena Lake Campground, borough officials wrote in a social media post around 4:20 p.m.

By 7:30 p.m., the fire was estimated to be around 20 acres, burning in black spruce in a roadless area about 2 miles northwest of the lake’s northern shore, state fire officials wrote in an update. The fire did not pose a threat to the public as of Saturday evening, they wrote.

“Using helicopters, firefighters were shuttled to the fire to begin suppression efforts with support from air tankers and water scooping aircraft,” the Division of Forestry and Fire Protection wrote. A fire retardant tanker was able to drop one load before diverting north to the Montana Creek Fire “because it was threatening homes,” state fire officials wrote.

Firefighters planned to work late into Saturday night “to build fireline and set up hose lay around the fire,” state fire officials said. Twelve smokejumpers were also deployed to the Tustumena Lake Fire, and more crew were set to arrive Sunday, according to fire officials.

In Interior Alaska, crews are monitoring and responding to multiple wildfires, including some that have been burning for several days.

The Globe Fire, estimated at 9,342 acres as of Saturday, was grouped into the “Grapefruit Complex” of fires and had spread east toward the White Mountains National Recreation Area, the BLM Alaska Fire Service wrote. Heavy smoke Saturday prevented crews from conducting aerial or ground surveys and made it unsafe to fly aircraft in support of fire suppression efforts.

Ninety-four personnel were assigned to the fire with more en route, and some are tasked with enacting measures to protect dozens of structures, along with Native allotments and Globe Creek Camp, the BLM Alaska Fire Service wrote.

The “Grapefruit Complex” comprises several blazes, including the Iver Fire, which is estimated at 14,649 acres. The BLM Alaska Fire Service wrote that it’s burning about 10 miles east of Minto Lake and “is quickly spreading through spruce trees toward the Elliott Highway, where the Globe Fire is already present.” The trans-Alaska pipeline is situated between the Iver Fire and the Globe Fire.

Fire officials noted that warm and dry weather was expected to continue through the weekend.

Additional information about wildfire response in Alaska is available at akfireinfo.com.