SOLDOTNA (AP) -- The King County Creek fire near Skilak Lake on the Kenai Peninsula continued to grow and spread heavy smoke in dry conditions, officials said Wednesday.
Nearly 90 lightning strikes that began moving through the peninsula Tuesday evening were recorded and sparked at least seven new fires, said fire information officer Kris Eriksen. But the lightning had no affect on the King Country Creek fire, which was estimated to be at least 7,200 acres at noon Wednesday, about double what it had been the night before.
The fire, which was producing a convection column to 8,000 feet, remained about one mile east of the Killey River.
Wildfire Prevention Officer Sharon Roesch said the King County Creek fire is basically circular in shape and in an area between the Killey River and the southwest corner of Skilak Lake. Fire managers worked Wednesday on a fire break to the southwest between the Kenai and Killey rivers. If necessary, firefighters were prepared to burn vegetation to prevent the fire from making a run at the rivers.
More fire suppression resources were to arrive Wednesday. A Type II Incident Management Team arrived Tuesday and assumed management of the fire.
The Department of Environmental Conservation said air quality was deteriorating in several areas of the state because of wildfires. Those areas included the western Kenai Peninsula, the Sterling Highway, the Anchorage Bowl and the Mat-Su Valley.
Anchorage officials said Wednesday the hazy conditions were expected to linger for at least two days. Smoke was evident in the Anchorage area on Wednesday.
Lightning and human-caused fires are keeping the Division of Forestry very busy throughout Southcentral Alaska, officials said.
Firefighters in the Mat-Su responded to two fires on Monday caused by unattended burn piles. Fire managers in the McGrath area reported six new fires and nine old ones ranging in size from 2 acres to over 6,000 acres.
The Sheenjek River Fire in the Yukon Flats area was estimated at 85,000 acres Wednesday, but fire lines have kept the blaze away from Fort Yukon. The fire was still active on the north side, but not on the west side where it had been threatening Fort Yukon, said fire information officer Tom Kempton.
Roesch said fire managers are not looking forward to the July Fourth holiday. They're worried about new fires starting from campfires, burn barrels and fireworks.
''The big Fourth of July weekend is coming up and we're going into it dry,'' she said.
On the Net: www.borough.kenai.ak.us/emergency
