A view of Alaska's Funny River fire from the Anchorage Hillside

[Blue_In_AK]

taken Friday morning about 1:30 a.m. by photographer Joe Connolly.






Here is the latest update...
http://www.adn.com/2014/05/24/3484574/kenai-peninsula-wildfire-nears.html?sp=/99/100/&ihp=1

[Marrah_G]

1. Wow- scary

[drm604]

2. That doesn't look very funny to me.

What is going on there? Is the river on fire (maybe from an oil spill) or is that a forest fire next to the river?

[Blue_In_AK]

4. The river is named the Funny River.

That's really its name, and the fire is near there, thus the name. Not an oil fire, but a forest fire.

[scarletwoman]

3. Whooaaa! That's some fire...

Are they having to evacuate anyone? Or is the area of the fire basically unpopulated?

[Blue_In_AK]

5. Kasilof is on evacuation watch,

and a couple of subdivisions. I don't think there have been any cabins or homes destroyed yet, but it's close enough to structures that there is concern.

[scarletwoman]

6. Cripes. It must be miserable there.

I was staying with a friend in southern Oregan many years ago (1987) when there was a major forest fire some ways away. It didn't threaten the area we were in, but the smoke made the air absolutely unbreathable, so I grabbed up my then 3-year old and left.

I've never forgotten that awful choking sensation from the drifting smoke. My heart goes out to all those people who are in the vicinity, whether their homes are threatened or not. It's truly horrible to have the air you breathe filled with smoke.

[Blue_In_AK]

7. It's really smoky again in Anchorage today.

The late afternoon light is very yellow and the mountains are barely visible. I was out for a little while today watering my gardens but didn't want to stay out too long. It's pretty bad.

[scarletwoman]

8. I don't suppose any rain is in the forecast...

Take care. I guess the fire's gonna do what it's gonna do...

[Blue_In_AK]

9. They're forecasting rain for Thursday and Friday,

and we really hope it comes through. Everything is so dry.

[uppityperson]

10. thinking of the bears and voles in the area.

Thanks for the latest Blue and

[Blue_In_AK]

11. The bears and moose probably made a break for it,

But the voles can't run too fast on those tiny legs.

Keep our friend RogueValley in your thoughts. She lives only five miles from the Funny River Road, and she says the air quality down there is horrendous, with ash falling out of the sky.

[adirondacker]

12. Landsat images linked by a research prof from U of A Fairbanks...

http://volcanodetect.blogspot.com/2014/05/landsat-8-data-of-kenai-funny-river.html

[Blue_In_AK]

13. Thank you for those.

That really pinpoints the location for me.

[adirondacker]

14. Your welcome.

Evidently Peter Webley compiled the data from the USGS and has his own blogspot site he posted it in. It was linked on the comment section of your link. I think the news reporters should become savvy of this info and where to access it.

That's a pretty scary looking spread and hope all is contained and under control soon.

Take Care!