Alaska Wildfire Closes Highway, Rousts Campers
A raging wildfire that turned clouds a glowing red forced the emergency closure Sunday of a major highway and the evacuation of 200 Memorial Day campers in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.
Officials by midafternoon had ordered the campers out of the Hidden Lake area and the Hidden Lake campground after the Pothole Lake fire reached the Kenai River near Skilak Lake.
Later, the fire jumped the Kenai River and Alaska state troopers ordered the Sterling Highway closed. The highway links Anchorage and Kenai and is heavily traveled, especially on holiday weekends.
Sue Mitchell of the Interagency Fire Information Center in Anchorage said the highway probably would be reopened quickly as the fire passed.
The blaze had burned about 6,000 acres by Sunday afternoon, up from 4,900 acres by Saturday.
An initial threat to homes in the Cooper Landing community greatly diminished by Sunday, officials said. No homes were evacuated.
More to Read
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
