UPDATEHastings Fire Grows, Destroys Cabin; Winds Fan Blaze Near Delta

A fire burning on the north side of the Chatanika River has grown to 600 acres and has consumed a cabin and an outbuilding.

Tools

By Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Story Created: May 31, 2011 at 9:03 AM AKDT

Story Updated: May 31, 2011 at 3:38 PM AKDT

FAIRBANKS - A fire burning on the north side of the Chatanika River has grown to 600 acres and has consumed a cabin and an outbuilding. Other cabins along the river are threatened by the blaze but officials are hopeful that they can save them.

“Currently we have firefighters on the ground and the structures are being protected,” said Sarah Saarloos, public information officer for the Alaska Type 2 Incident Management Green Team. 

The Hastings fire was first reported as a 20 acre blaze Monday afternoon and is burning in an area mainly composed of black spruce, which has contributed to its spread. Firefighters were helped Monday night when the fire ran into a gully full of overflow ice, which slowed the growth of the flames. 

Meanwhile, the East Volkmar fire burning outside Delta Junction has grown to 19,000 acres and is experiencing active fire conditions with 20 mph gusts of wind. 

"This is a large fire with little-to-no containment so we don’t know what’s going to happen,” said Sharon Roesch of the Delta area forestry unit. 

Add a comment

Name:

Comment: 1000 Characters Left

KTVA CBS 11 | Anchorage, Alaska News and Weather and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the above comments or other interaction among the users. We reserve the right to screen, refuse to post, remove or edit user-generated content at any time and for any or no reason in our absolute and sole discretion without prior notice, although we have no duty to do so or to monitor any Public Forum.
This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.