page_title: Swan Lake Fire
section_title: August flare-up
hierarchical_section_title: Swan Lake Fire / August flare-up
caption_attribution_description: English: A fire warning road sign near Swan Lake, Alaska, warning of the 2019 wildfires in the area
context_page_description: The Swan Lake Fire is a large lightning-caused wildfire that has been burning between Sterling and Cooper Landing on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska since June 5, 2019. As of September 9, the fire has burned 167,164 acres and is 90 percent contained.
context_section_description: Over the weekend of August 17, high winds caused the fire to flare up and spread eastward towards Cooper Landing. Wildlife refuge and national forest managers closed several areas in response, motorists were warned of poor conditions and delays, and residents of Cooper Landing were advised to be prepared to evacuate. In the west the fire spread across the highway for the first time, and portions of the Skilak Lake road, the only alternative route through the area between Cooper Landing and Sterling, were closed due to fire encroachment and poor visibility. The highway itself was reduced to one-way-at-a-time traffic in one lane. Later that same day, the fire crowned in this area and began moving rapidly, forcing intermittent closure of the highway over the next several days. Type I hotshot crews and heavy water bombers were dispatched to the fire. As the flareup continued and other wildfires sprung up in the area more firefighters were deployed and a disaster was declared by the Kenai Peninsula Borough.
   By late August the fire had spread closer to Cooper Landing and residents were put on a "set" warning, meaning they should be ready to evacuate at any time. Emphasis was placed on preserving structures and homes as the fire managed to cross control lines. More than 650 personnel were engaged in fighting the fire; the estimated cost of the efforts through the last week of August is 30 million dollars. Alaska's statutory fire season, in which open burning is regulated and permits are required, was extended by a month by the Alaska Department of Natural Resources in response to this and other fires.
caption: Warning sign on the highway
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