Mother Nature helps slow burns

June 24, 2007

By Hannah Guillaume

Frontiersman

MAT-SU - A lightning-sparked wildfire that has spread to more than 4,000 acres ablaze in the Big Su Fire Wednesday continues to burn and has grown to about 9,500 acres.

Other Valley wildfires hadn't grown by Saturday evening.

By Friday evening, cool temperatures and high humidity levels helped firefighters control the crowning of the Big Su Fire in the Trapper Lake area west of the Susitna River nearly four miles from Mile 79 of the Parks Highway.

Zero percent of the fire was contained as of Saturday evening, officials report.

&#8220Today, if you were to get up and take a look you wouldn't see the crown fire,” said Matt Weaver, spokesman for the local Division of Forestry, on Saturday. &#8220It's more smoky than open flame today. The increase in acreage has been minimal.”

Wildfire battles primarily depend on weather, Weaver said. Rain soaking into the brush and soil for two days could create more long-term protection. The majority of the Valley had gone without rain for more than five days.

Firefighters reported 30 minutes of light rain at Trapper Lake on Friday, allowing them time to get in and secure area protections, Weaver said. The philosophy for battling the Big Su fire is securing the protection of firefighters, the public and preservation of the 12 uninhabited residential buildings most at risk along the south end of Trapper lake. Firefighters are clearing the ground and setting hoses around those buildings. There are 40 structures near the lake.

Firefighters reported &#8220good rain” at the popular recreation area near the 60-acre Yentna River wildfire at the confluence of Lake Creek, Weaver said. That fire is 100 percent contained and smoke jumpers have been pulled from there.

&#8220The two crews working that fire are making some really good progress,” he said. &#8220We've got a very good handle on that.”

Several homes and cabins in the area are not directly threatened. The Division of Forestry reports more small fires ignited in the Valley on Friday, but all were quickly extinguished.

Contact Hannah Guillaume at 352-2284 or hannahguillaume@yahoo.com.