Fire safely contained off Seward Meridian

WASILLA— A fire broke out Tuesday afternoon near Seward Meridian Parkway, prompting a quick and decisive response from emergency responders who quickly contained the flames with no injuries or property damage.

“We got lucky,” Mat-Su Borough Department of Emergency Services Director Ken Barkley said.

According to Barkley, the fire started around Ruth Drive, spreading to Brianne Lane where tall flames and thick clouds of smoke prompted numerous calls from concerned citizens.

Barkley said that calls started coming in around 3:17 p.m. and crews arrived on the scene within three minutes.

"When they got there they could see flames above the trees," Barkley said.

The fire burned around 1.8 acres total, threatening five homes, according to Barkley. He said firefighters extinguished the flames and established a wet line within 30 to 45 minutes with helicopter assistance.

Barkley said the incident was handled very efficiently with minimal impact. The Alaska Division of Forestry, Palmer Fire and Rescue, Central, and West Lakes Fire Department responded to the fire.

“I think it was great teamwork between agencies, and it just showed our training paid off because we train together, work together, and it just worked seamlessly,” Barkley said.

“We just had the right resources positioned and a quick response from different agencies,” Barkley said.

Barkley said the dry, hot, and windy conditions were a perfect recipe for a roaring and fast moving fire.

“It’s just a mixture for disaster. That’s why we can’t stress enough to folks if they’re burning, using burn barrels or anything like that, they gotta be able to monitor it, have water on site, and make sure it's out before they walk away for the day. You don’t want to put your neighbors or yourself at risk,” Barkley said.

Investigation revealed the cause of the fire was attributed to an individual burning on their property, according to Alaska Division of Forestry Mat-Su Office Fire Management Officer Phil Blydenburgh. He said the fire escaped a burn barrel and quickly spread due to the conditions.

Blydenburgh said the case is still under review, but it is highly probable that the individual will receive a citation and possibly more for the incident. He said that several factors play into the ultimate legal action taken when reviewing these types of cases, including total damage, severity, and burn suspension status.

“That one turned out well… it could have turned out a lot differently,” Blydenburgh said.

There’s currently a burn suspension in place due to the high fire risk. Only barbeques, and small warming or cooking fires are allowed during the suspension. This means no burning yard or other debris in barrels or other means until the suspension is lifted.

Blydenburgh encourages citizens to be fire wise, especially during these high fire risk periods, and to call ahead of time before burning. The fire off Seward Meridian was just one of several fires that broke out that day and the following week.

“When we suspend burn permits, it’s for a reason,” Blydenburgh said. “There’s a real fire danger.”

Permits are required to use burn barrels or other means to clear debris. Small and large scale permit burning has been suspended in the Mat-Su Valley and Kenai as of Monday, May 24.

For more information about current burning status in Alaska, visit dnr.alaska.gov/burn.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com