2007 Caribou Hills fire
Encyclopedia
The Caribou Hills Fire was a 2007 wildfire
that burned near Ninilchik, Alaska
, and expanded extremely rapidly, making it at one point the top firefighting priority in the United States
. It soon moved toward the town and at its peak threatened approximately 300 structures.
was still recovering from an infestation of spruce bark beetles
that had killed thousands of acres of trees during the late 1990s and early 2000s, resulting in an enormous "tinder box" in the largely unpopulated area of Caribou Hills.
and other populated areas, including Homer
, Kenai
, and Soldotna, leading to air quality and health advisories , and the establishment of a "no fly zone" in the fire's area.
As of June 24, 2007 approximately 75 structures had been destroyed by the fire, including 34 cabins, 1 primary residence and 40 outbuildings such as shed
s and outhouse
s. The Federal Emergency Management Agency
began funding of the fire suppression effort on June 23, 2007. While every possible effort, including aerial deployment of fire suppression chemicals, was made near populated areas, a more low-impact approach, mostly creating firebreaks with bulldozers, was used on the parts of the fire that entered the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge
enthusiasts in the winter, and many small overnight cabins had been built over the years without permits or other documentation.
Wildfire
A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire in combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or a wilderness area. Other names such as brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, squirrel fire, vegetation fire, veldfire, and wilkjjofire may be used to describe the same...
that burned near Ninilchik, Alaska
Ninilchik, Alaska
Ninilchik is a census-designated place in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 772.-Geography:...
, and expanded extremely rapidly, making it at one point the top firefighting priority in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It soon moved toward the town and at its peak threatened approximately 300 structures.
Background
The fire began June 19, 2007, when sparks created by a hand-held grinder being used to sharpen a shovel ignited dry grass. The couple who accidentally started the fire attempted to beat it out with a shovel and the shirts off their backs, but the dry conditions in the area at the time caused the fire to spread rapidly, and they had to be rescued by helicopter as they were soon surrounded by flames. In addition to the dry grass in the area, the Kenai PeninsulaKenai Peninsula
The Kenai Peninsula is a large peninsula jutting from the southern coast of Alaska in the United States. The name Kenai is probably derived from Kenayskaya, the Russian name for Cook Inlet, which borders the peninsula to the west.-Geography:...
was still recovering from an infestation of spruce bark beetles
Bark beetle
A bark beetle is one of approximately 220 genera with 6,000 species of beetles in the subfamily Scolytinae. Traditionally, this was considered a distinct family Scolytidae, but now it is understood that bark beetles are in fact very specialized members of the "true weevil" family...
that had killed thousands of acres of trees during the late 1990s and early 2000s, resulting in an enormous "tinder box" in the largely unpopulated area of Caribou Hills.
Firefighting efforts
This fire came at a time when two other wildfires were already blazing in South-central Alaska, stretching the state's firefighting capabilities. Firefighters called for evacuations of residents in outlying areas, specifically the Ninilchik 40 subdivision and the Caribou Hills cabins. On June 21, 2007 smoke from this fire began rolling into AnchorageAnchorage, Alaska
Anchorage is a unified home rule municipality in the southcentral part of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is the northernmost major city in the United States...
and other populated areas, including Homer
Homer, Alaska
Homer is a city located in Kenai Peninsula Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population was 5,364. One of Homer's nicknames is "the cosmic hamlet by the sea"; another is "the end of the road"...
, Kenai
Kenai, Alaska
Kenai is a city in Kenai Peninsula Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 7,464...
, and Soldotna, leading to air quality and health advisories , and the establishment of a "no fly zone" in the fire's area.
As of June 24, 2007 approximately 75 structures had been destroyed by the fire, including 34 cabins, 1 primary residence and 40 outbuildings such as shed
Shed
A shed is typically a simple, single-storey structure in a back garden or on an allotment that is used for storage, hobbies, or as a workshop....
s and outhouse
Outhouse
An outhouse is a small structure separate from a main building which often contained a simple toilet and may possibly also be used for housing animals and storage.- Terminology :...
s. The Federal Emergency Management Agency
Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security, initially created by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1978 and implemented by two Executive Orders...
began funding of the fire suppression effort on June 23, 2007. While every possible effort, including aerial deployment of fire suppression chemicals, was made near populated areas, a more low-impact approach, mostly creating firebreaks with bulldozers, was used on the parts of the fire that entered the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge
Kenai National Wildlife Refuge
The Kenai National Wildlife Refuge is a 1.92 million acre wildlife preserve located on the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska. The refuge was created in 1941 as the Kenai Moose Range, but in 1980 it was changed to its present status by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act...
Aftermath
The fire was declared under control in early July, 2007. It destroyed a total of 55438 acres (22,435 ha) of wilderness, and about 197 structures, including 88 cabins and other homes and 109 outbuildings. The exact number of buildings destroyed may never be known as the Caribou Hills area is a popular destination for snowmachineSnowmobile
A snowmobile, also known in some places as a snowmachine, or sled,is a land vehicle for winter travel on snow. Designed to be operated on snow and ice, they require no road or trail. Design variations enable some machines to operate in deep snow or forests; most are used on open terrain, including...
enthusiasts in the winter, and many small overnight cabins had been built over the years without permits or other documentation.