Moose Creek fire swings toward Glenn Highway

State Division of Forestry officials temporarily closed the Glenn Highway at Mile 54 around 9:30 a.m. this morning to allow for a fire line to be created near the road, the latest move in an ongoing effort to fight the Moose Creek fire near Sutton.

According to a Forestry Facebook post, the highway was to be closed for 30 minutes to allow firefighters to bulldoze a fire line above the highway, where flames had come within “about 75 feet of the road” earlier this morning, according to the state.

While the road was reopened around 11 a.m., officials are asking motorists to avoid the area if possible.

“Smoke has reduced visibility on the highway and motorists are advised to use caution and be alert for firefighters and firefighting equipment on the road. Please drive carefully,” according to the Facebook post.

Continued high winds through Sunday challenged firefighters not only on the 300-acre Moose Creek fire, but also from smaller blazes in the Butte area. Winds in the area have been steady at 25-30 mph with gusts up to 40 mph, according to the state.

The Moose Creek fire was first reported Saturday near the Glenn Highway, and was likely the result of the escaped burning of debris, according to the state.

At 7:30 p.m. Sunday evening, Forestry and Butte firefighters also responded to a fire near Plumley Road, where crews arrived to find a private landowner burning debris piles about 1 1/2 miles down a trail head, according to a forestry press release. The departments also responded to a pair of small grass fires caused by downed power lines at approximately 1:30 p.m. Sunday – one at Mile 6 Clark Wolverine Road in the Butte and one on Farm Loop Road north of Palmer, not far from the Moose Creek fire.

According to a Matanuska Electric Association Facebook post from 9 a.m. Monday morning “2,527 members back on in the north Wasilla area around Bogard, Lucille and Wasilla-Fishhook. 3,100 remain without power. We're showing 747 members out of power in Meadow Lakes.”