Handful of fires reported Saturday afternoon

WASILLA — Mat-Su Borough fire crews have had a busy Saturday afternoon.

Mat-Su Borough Emergency Services director Ken Barkley said five wildfires and two structure fires were reported Saturday.

“In two hours, that’s how many calls we’ve had,” Barkley said by cell phone. “We are getting short on resources.”

Barkley said borough crews have had help.

“Forestry has been helping out tremendously,” Barkley said.

All five wildfires were started by power lines that were knocked down by the wind, Barkley said. One is burning in Willow. The Lucky Shot Fire, in the Willow Creek Parkway area, is contained, Barkley said. Barkley estimated a size of about three to five acres. As of about 3:30 p.m. Saturday, there was an evacuation notice in place and an evacuation center was set up at the Willow United Methodist Church. That order has since been rescinded.

Another fire was reported in the Meadow Lakes area, at Carriage Lane. Barkley said the fire, about 1.5 acres in size, is contained an no structures are currently threatened.

There was also a fire near Mile 91 of the Parks Highway, off Yancey and Merlin. Crews were released from that scene to assist with other fires, according to an update from borough officials about 3:30.

Barkley said the afternoon also included reports of a structure fire in Talkeetna and another off Fairview Loop. Both are not related to the wind, Barkley said.

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