Sockeye Fire grows to 7,585 acres

Early Tuesday, the Alaska Division of Forestry estimated the Sockeye Fire had grown to 7,585 acres.

The Type I Alaska Interagency Incident Management Team will take command of the Sockeye Fire at 7 am today.

The Parks Highway is open with delays. On the Parks Highway, the road is blocked at mile 66.5 and mile 88 vehicles are escorted by a pilot vehicle through the area, please expect, sometimes long delays. There may be temporary closures.

See a map posted here of the Sockeye Fire Perimeter.

Sunday night the State Emergency Operations Center Activated to respond to the Sockeye Fire. The Center is staffed and responding to requests from the Mat-Su Borough and the Division of Forestry.

Yesterday, Governor Bill Walker declared a state disaster in response to widespread damage from the Sockeye Fire near Willow. Gov. Walker announced the action at the Mat-Su Borough Assembly Chambers yesterday during a Borough press conference.

Manager John Moosey requested a disaster declaration yesterday.
A copy of the disaster declaration request is posted here.

Here's some phone numbers:

The recorded Borough Emergency hotline with information is 907-761-3700.

The Borough has set up a call center for the Sockeye Fire for residents to ask questions. 907-861-8326. The hotline has the same information if you prefer a recording.

James Spikes shot this photo at 10 pm June 15. It shows Kashwitna Lake on the left near the Parks Highway, a view looking north to south.

The Borough website has regular updates and Borough facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/MatSuBorough

PIO Patty Sullivan