State Forestry firefighters are working to contain a fast-growing wildfire near Healy that was ignited by two smoldering fires burning in coal deposits at the surface that merged together. Forestry spokesman Tim Mowry says the fire was spotted yesterday, when it has burned only about five acres.
“Then last night, winds picked up down in that neck o’ the woods, and the fire got very active and grew to 600 to 1,000 acres at around 9, 10 o’clock at night,” Mowry said.
Mowry says the Louise Creek Coal Seam 2018 fire is now estimated at 1,800 acres. He says it’s burning in an area east of the Nenana River that had already burned over several years ago. At that time, crews brought in bulldozers that cut a fireline – or in this case a dozer line – around the area. But he says vegetation has regrown in the area, providing fuel for the wildfire.