Alaska Division of Forestry Public Information Officer Sarah Saarloos dropped in to KBBI to update information on the Caribou Lake and North Fork fires.

The Caribou Lake Fire, 25 miles northeast of Homer, is 20 percent contained and estimated at 848 acres.

There is a public meeting on the Caribou Lake Fire Saturday, August 24 at 3 p.m. at McNeil Canyon School located at mile 18 on East End Road. The meeting will be broadcast live on KBBI AM 890.

The Caribou Lake Fire,  25 miles northeast of Homer, is at 20 percent containment and is estimated at 848 acres. Fire suppression efforts will continue today with firefighters on the ground, air support and mapping. The fire is moving north and is expected to increase in size, though not rapidly. 

The Caribou Lake Fire is moving north.
The size is an estimated 800 acres but the Alaska Division of Forestry  expects the fire to grow, though not rapidly. There is still no reliable estimate for the size of the Caribou Lake Fire.
Poor visibility has made it difficult to map the fire.

The North Fork Fire is holding at 59 acres, no growth expected. Crews are working to put out hot spots inside the containment line. KBBI’s Kathleen Gustafson spoke to Sarah Saarloos, Public Information Officer with the Alaska Division of Forestry at 6 p.m. for this update:
 

The demand for resources at Caribou Lake Fire has grown and in response, AK Division of Forestry has decided that the Caribou Lake Fire will now be administered by the same team as the Swan Lake Fire according to Sarah Saarloos, Public Information Officer. Saarloos was based in Soldotna but is traveling to Homer today, Thursday, to set up an office. She spoke to KBBI this morning for this update on the Caribou Lake and North Fork fires. 

KBBI:
Can you tell me anything about the Caribou Lake Fire?

East winds are expected to gust to 20 mph tonight which will effect fire suppression efforts on the Caribou Lake and North Fork fires. KBBI’s Kathleen Gustafson spoke with Bob Cicciarella, Chief of Kachemak Emergency Services at 1:30 this afternoon for this update.

Transcription:

The Caribou Lake Fire is now estimated at 700 acres with some structures threatened. The North Fork Fire did not grow overnight. It is still estimated at 59 acres.

A burn ban is now in effect for the Kenai Peninsula and air quality is poor. People with respiratory problems are advised to limit activity.

Click on the arrow below to listen to the report from the AK Division of Forestry. 

The Caribou Lake Fire was active on Tuesday spreading toward valuable assets as poor visibility limited aircraft support.

Macaq  -  Sunrise

Macaq pugngirlartuq kiagmi.

Translation:
Sunrise comes very early in the summer. 
 

***CORRECTION:  A previous version of this piece overstated the amount of king salmon caught as bycatch to date in 2019.  The correct number is twenty-nine thousand five hundred thirty two.  KBBI regrets the error***

The North Fork Fire is now surrounded by a containment line and at Caribou Lake, additional crew arrived today to try and establish a line around the hundred acre fire. KBBI's Kathleen Gustafson spoke with
Public Information Officer Sarah Saarloos, from the AK Division of Forestry at 3 p.m. for this update.