Firefighters on high alert heading into Memorial Day weekend

WASILLA — Alaska Division of Forestry officials are warning of high fire danger in the Mat-Su heading into Memorial Day weekend.

The division announced Friday morning that all burn permits in the Mat-Su area have been suspended until further notice. The decision is in response to a weather forecast that includes sunny skies, warm temperatures over the holiday weekend.

On Thursday, the National Weather Service issued a “Fire Weather Watch” for Southcentral Alaska. The watch means “critical fire weather conditions are forecast to occur.”

On Friday evening, a wildfire broke out in the Eagle River Valley, according to a Facebook status update posted by the Division of Forestry at around 7 p.m.

"A small wildfire in Eagle River is drawing a heavy initial attack response from the Alaska Division of Forestry and Anchorage Fire Department," reads the post.

"The fire, reported at approximately 5:30 p.m.,is approximately one mile from the end of Driftwood Bay and currently estimated at 10-15 acres. It is burning in mixed hardwoods and spruce. One structure is threatened about 1,000 feet south of the fire and firefighters are working to protect that structure. Both the Alaska Division of Forestry and Anchorage Fire Department are aggressively attacking the fire from the ground and air. No evacuations are taking place at this time.

"One air retardant tanker and a helicopter are dropping retardant and water on the fire to box it in and crews are hiking into the fire to attack the fire from the ground. Another air retardant tanker is enroute from Fairbanks to work on the fire. The Pioneer Peak Interagency Hotshot Crew hiked into the fire and found a water source nearby to set up hoses to begin getting water on the fire from the ground. At last report the smoke column was dispersing and the fire was heading into a stand of hardwoods, which should slow it down, but the fire was still burning in the hardwoods.The fire is not accessible from the road.

"Briggs Bridge Access Road is closed to the public and motorists should avoid the area around Hiland Road. Local aircraft are advised to steer clear of the airspace over the fire"

Friday marked the second time burn permits have been suspended this spring. A burn ban was put in place on May 14 and lifted three days later when the Valley received its first significant rainfall of the season. However, since then warm, dry conditions have returned to much of Southcentral Alaska — conditions expected to persist through the weekend.

High temperatures over the Memorial Day weekend in the Valley are expected to be in the mid-70s, with low relative humidity and winds north to northeast to 15 MPH.

The burn ban includes all burn permits and burn barrels, but does not include campfires smaller than three feet across.

The Division of Forestry said the suspension will remain in place until weather conditions become less fire-friendly.