Mat-Su

Home near Wasilla destroyed by fire that spread into dry vegetation

WASILLA -- A fast-moving fire Tuesday morning destroyed a residence off Bogard Road near Wasilla and left a married couple and their two dogs homeless, authorities say.

The fire spread to the frost-killed grass surrounding the home and prompted the state's Department of Forestry to send out a warning to residents in Southcentral Alaska of high fire danger due to dry conditions and a lack of snow.

"Treat it like it's spring," said Norm McDonald, Palmer-based state fire manager.

What sparked the fire, reported just after 7 a.m. at the home on East Pike Avenue, remained unclear Tuesday evening, said Clint Vardeman, Matanuska-Susitna Borough deputy emergency services director.

Vardeman said a commander who arrived at the house at 7:15 a.m. described flames spreading into nearby trees, with numerous vehicles at risk.

A caller reported that two people were out of the house but that someone was thought to be in an adjacent fifth-wheel trailer and not answering the phone. The trailer turned out to be empty, Vardeman said, but the report of an active fire drew firefighters from three stations and the Division of Forestry.

Authorities say the structure basically burned to the ground. The flames also burned about one acre of vegetation.

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The fire was declared under control at about 8:40 a.m.

A crew with the Division of Forestry responded at about 9 a.m. to assist with the fire, Vardeman said.

In its news release, the division said that in the current dry and volatile conditions, primary fuels like grass, leaves and brush can trigger fast-moving fires that are "extremely difficult to control, especially if there's wind."

Authorities asked people to hold off open burning and using burn barrels until the area has substantial rain or snowfall, citing a second grass fire in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough on Tuesday. That fire was reported at about 11 a.m. after flames spread from a burn barrel to grass and scorched about half an acre, McDonald said.

Vardeman said the borough has not yet recorded an uptick in fires due to dry conditions, though he added: "We've been lucky. The conditions are very unusual for this time of year."

The Red Cross was providing assistance to the displaced couple, including food, clothing and shoes, and a hotel room, spokesperson Beth Bennett said. A neighbor volunteered to watch the dogs after the couple struggled to find a hotel that would take the animals, Bennett said.

Responders "found a way" to get to the house despite a narrow access road, Vardeman said. The dirt road leading to the structure is private and not subject to the standards of the borough's road system, he said.

The borough has yet to establish standards for private roads, Vardeman said: "That's been a matter of debate in the Assembly for years."

Zaz Hollander

Zaz Hollander is a veteran journalist based in the Mat-Su and is currently an ADN local news editor and reporter. She covers breaking news, the Mat-Su region, aviation and general assignments. Contact her at zhollander@adn.com.

Tegan Hanlon

Tegan Hanlon was a reporter for the Anchorage Daily News between 2013 and 2019. She now reports for Alaska Public Media.

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