Alaska fire officials say they are monitoring the first fire of the season that's required a significant response, a blaze that has burned a little more than 5 acres on the Kenai Peninsula.
The Jim Howard Road Fire was sparked Monday afternoon, about half a mile south of the village of Nikolaevsk and some 8 miles east of Anchor Point, when a couple with a burn permit left their debris fire unattended for 15 to 20 minutes, Division of Forestry fire manager Howie Kent said.
"Wind coming from the west took the fire from the couple's burn into the grass, and headed toward neighboring properties," Kent said.
Division of Forestry was notified of the fire at 4 p.m. Monday, and responded in about 25 minutes, Kent said.
According to Kent, the most crucial moment of fighting a wildfire is within the first hour after it has been sparked.
"If we can get there within that first hour, and we have enough support, we are likely to catch the fire," Kent said. "If we got a fire that is further out, harder to get to, or more remote, we'll have problems accessing the fire. The first hour is critical."
About 20 forestry division employees responded to the fire, as well as an additional 18 responders from the Anchor Point Volunteer Fire Department and Kachemak Emergency Services Department. They also used a helicopter, engines on the ground, and an airplane dropping fire retardant. Forestry officials said they dropped 11 buckets of water on the blaze.
Kent said the Kenai Peninsula is particularly vulnerable to wildfires because of the area's grass, which he described as "freeze-dried," with all of the moisture sucked out.
"We have the conditions to have a Funny River type fire every year," Kent said.
"It's quick to light, and even if we get a little rain, within a few hours it's dry and ready to burn again. It's a continuous fuel bed," Kent said.
Investigators eventually determined the 2014 Funny River Fire, which consumed more than 190,000 acres of land last May, was also ignited by humans.
Those responsible for the Jim Howard Road Fire will be issued a citation, although it will be up to the courts to decide any further consequences. As part of the rules for a burn permit, those burning are supposed to attend the fire for the entire time it's burning, and also call the Division of Forestry to ask about the day's fire conditions -- which the couple did not, Kent said.
As of Thursday morning, Kent said, the forestry division was monitoring the area. The flames are gone for now, but responders are searching for any hot spots that could cause the fire to blaze once again.
"A fire can come back to life," Kent said.