MOOSE CREEK FIRE UPDATE: Assembly member says one home was threatened by blaze

SUTTON — Firefighters from the Alaska Division of Forestry and multiple Mat-Su Valley fire departments are battling an approximately 178-acre wildfire near Mile 56 of the Glenn Highway in Sutton.

Called the Moose Creek Fire, it is at mile 56 on the Glenn Highway. Matanuska-Susitna Borough firefighters are assisting the Alaska Division of Forestry on a fire in gusty winds that has grown to some 178 acres south of Sutton.

The fire location is near the Moose Creek Campground, some 12 miles north of Palmer City and 5 miles south of Sutton.

The Moose Creek Fire was reported at 2:10 a.m. by a passing motorist. The cause of the fire is unknown at this time and State Forestry officials are investigating.

Palmer Fire Department firefighter John Vinduska said he was among the first to respond to the blaze and called it, “pretty impressive” in the wee hours.

“We could put a stop to it easy enough right here,” Vinduska said, still on scene after 1 p.m., and pointing to the side of a hill completely burned. “But that there (up the hill) is pretty tough unless you’ve got air power.”

As he spoke, a helicopter flew above with a bucket ready to dump on the flames.

No homes were immediately threatened but an evacuation advisory has been issued for the Palmer Correctional Center at Mile 58 of the Glenn Highway. Buses have been staged to transport prison inmates and personnel if the need arises.

Mat-Su Borough District 1 Assemblyman Jim Sykes, whose district includes Sutton, was on scene as well Saturday afternoon.

“(I’m) trying to stay out of the way but keep tabs on things,” Sykes said from a gravel parking lot between mileposts 55 and 56. “There are two houses up (the road) here, one of 'em was very close, and the people evacuated. I guess there were sparks raining down on their roof and it was a little touchy.”

The fire has not impacted traffic on the Glenn Highway at this time but motorists passing through the area should slow down and be alert for firefighters and firefighting equipment on the road.

The fire is burning in cured grass and hardwoods. Firefighters’ efforts are being hampered by windy conditions that are expected to last through the weekend.

Firefighters from the Division of Forestry, as well as fire departments from Sutton, Butte and Palmer are working to contain the fire. Additional resources have been ordered from Division of Forestry offices in Fairbanks and Glennallen, as well as the Alaska Fire Service in Fairbanks and Chugach National Forest in Moose Pass. Two helicopters have been ordered and will be arriving shortly to assist with suppression efforts.

Conditions remain very dry in the Mat-Su Valley and State Forestry officials are asking residents not to do any burning given the windy conditions. In addition, any residents who have done any debris burning in the last few weeks are asked to check the burn piles to ensure no heat remains that could lead to a wildfire.