Depending on wind direction, smoke may travel further into Cooper Landing or north to Anchorage.Firefighters have completed 72% of the work needed to control the fire. If you feel uncomfortable or need additional time, consider leaving before an evacuation notice.A smoke column was visible on Tuesday as pockets of unburned fuel south of the highway burned. Water scoopers were used to keep the fire in check, providing protection to the Hidden Lake Campground. Officials say travelers should not stop along the highway.Alaska's wildfire season has been extended because of extreme conditions causing high fire danger throughout the state.
The firefighters on the ground are being supported by helicopters An online update posted to AK Fire Info reads as follows:Firefighting activities on Tuesday were focused on developing a containment line on the west side of the fire, south of the Sterling Highway. The fire is burning roughly 6 miles northeast of Sterling and is only 10% contained with an estimated containment date on August 31.Crews conducted a strategic fire operation Tuesday to establish a control line and draw the fire away from the Sterling Highway. You can see this in the animation below of air quality Thursday and Friday in Anchorage.Unfortunately, there is no immediate change in the forecast. South of the Sterling Highway, crews concentrated on extinguishing remaining heat sources adjacent to the fire perimeter, commonly referred to as mop up. Residents in the surrounding area said they are relieved to have a recent reprieve from the heavy smoke that's been in the air since lightning started the fire June 5.Firefighters credit the improvement to a change in wind direction earlier this week. "This excludes the Nellie Juan/College Fiord Wilderness Study area and the Cordova Ranger District. KPB advises people to stay off the highway on Sunday.More than 400 crew members have one mission as they work behind the scenes and on the front line of the Swan Lake Fire.“It is our highest concern to keep the public, and the flow of traffic moving, and keeping the public safe,” Shields said.Swan Lake Fire liaison officers, Alaska State Troopers, the Kenai Peninsula Borough Office of Emergency Management and the Alaska Department of Transportation are developing a plan to manage traffic along the Sterling Highway corridor, The group will present their plan at two community meetings this weekend:• Saturday, Aug. 24 at 6 p.m. at Cooper Landing School• Sunday, Aug. 25 at 6 p.m. at Sterling Community Center.A public meeting is planned for Saturday evening at 6 p.m. in Cooper Landing, but an exact location hasn't been set.Here's the latest fire map from the Kenai Peninsula Borough:Gov.
Crews began working this difficult-to-access area; however, safety and logistical support issues limited progress. Fire officials say that there are currently 50 firefighters responding to the largest fire on the Kenai known as the Tustumena Lake Fire. These improvements will reduce the chance of fire spread in the future, resulting in more fire resilient landscapes and communities. Fires should be completely extinguished and monitored to ensure they don't reignite.Thunderstorms are also a concern for spreading in the coming days. If you're more sensitive to the smoke, it's recommended to stay inside as much as possible.There is also a dense smoke advisory in place for the Sterling Highway Corridor where the smoke, at times, is causing the visibility to drop to near zero. Many homes, personal belongings, and businesses are completely gone, and the disruption brought to their lives is unimaginable,” Dunleavy said. "The use of portable stoves, lanterns using gas, jellied petroleum, pressurized liquid fuel or a fully enclosed (sheepherder type) stove with a ¼” spark arrester type screen are permitted. Fire managers say several inches of rain across all areas of the Swan Lake Fire are needed before the fire will be identified as 'controlled," the borough wrote.Traffic will resume to normal operations without pilot cars on the Sterling Highway but the borough says drivers may still see the cars in road construction zones. Yellow means SET or put everything in your car so you are ready to leave at any time. No fireworks are allowed within the municipality because of the fire danger," she said.Smoke from the Swan Lake fire continues to drift into Anchorage. Firefighters also implemented structure protection measures in the Skilak Wildlife Recreation Area.The Great Basin Incident Management Team 1 assumed command of the Swan Lake Fire on Wednesday at 7:00 am. Fire fighters on the remainder of the southwestern quadrant are making good progress on similar work.The Sterling neighborhoods east of Feuding Lane and east of Adkins Road remain in a READY status. The Swan Lake Fire was burning alongside the Sterling Highway overnight Monday, and authorities said the total highway closure could continue into Tuesday. It is in effect until further notice.The Swan Lake fire grew an additional 3,000 acres Tuesday night into Wednesday, with fire activity increasing earlier than on previous days.
Officials say if people feel unsafe they should evacuate immediately.The Swan Lake Fire continues to be a dynamic situation, fire officials wrote, adding the Sterling Highway could be opened or closed at any time. "Cooper Landing and Sterling residents should remain aware and prepared however until a [fire season-ending weather] transition occurs.