Alaska Railroad Cancels Service Due to Fires

[Taters]

We've had several fires within Alaska this month, and the fires south of Talkeetna are raging right now.  https://www.webcenter11.com/content/news/The-Alaska-Railroad-cancels-passenger-service-between-Anchorage-and-Denali-Park-due-to-McKinley-Fire-554616901.html 

[Copper10-8]

Here's hoping those hard working fire-fighters and smoke eaters from all over are able to bring those wild fires under control soon and without injuries or, God forbid, loss of life 

[Krazy Kruizers]

So sorry to hear this.

 

I have been watching the news about the fires and wondered when the rail service would be affected.

[Taters]

11 hours ago, Copper10-8 said:

Here's hoping those hard working fire-fighters and smoke eaters from all over are able to bring those wild fires under control soon and without injuries or, God forbid, loss of life 

Thanks for those kind words.  I have friends who had to evacuate and do not know whether they've lost their home or not.  It is a scary time.  Most of the time our wildfires diminish by the time August rolls around, so this is unusual. 

 

There are also fires on the Kenai Peninsula right now.  Would have thought they would not last this long into the year.

 

This is the hottest summer in Alaska in recorded history.  Ugh.

[Hawaiidan]

15 hours ago, Krazy Kruizers said:

So sorry to hear this.

 

I have been watching the news about the fires and wondered when the rail service would be affected.

Too  at the same time  Denali park  has experienced torrential rains that washed out roads and flooded many areas stopping all road traffic..... Check the parks web site to see current conditions

[przyk]

We were scheduled to return to Anchorage by train yesterday. I do not mean to equate our inconvenience to the tragedy of those who live in the impacted areas, but just wanted others to know about our experience.

 

We returned from our Tundra Wilderness tour about 10 PM Monday night to find a note under our door advising us of the itinerary change.

 

We were told we would be traveling the scenic Richardson Hwy on a bus.  It was scenic, but it was a 13 plus hour trip, so it was quite grueling.  We went north to Fairbanks, then quite a distance to the east before heading toward Anchorage. 

 

[PSR]

Update from the Anchorage Daily News:

Edited August 22, 2019 by PSR

[slidergirl]

I hope enough firefighters can be rounded up to fight the fire.  A longtime friend of mine is in Fire Management for the USFS.  She is supposed to be retired, but she gets called every summer since retirement to go to a site to help.  She's in Idaho right now.  There are so many fires around the West and Alaska again that resources are stretched thin.  

 

I hope the people affected in Alaska end up on the "good" side of the fires and do not lose property.

[Taters]

1 hour ago, slidergirl said:

I hope enough firefighters can be rounded up to fight the fire.  A longtime friend of mine is in Fire Management for the USFS.  She is supposed to be retired, but she gets called every summer since retirement to go to a site to help.  She's in Idaho right now.  There are so many fires around the West and Alaska again that resources are stretched thin.  

 

I hope the people affected in Alaska end up on the "good" side of the fires and do not lose property.

Over 50 structures were lost to the fires south of Talkeetna as of yesterday.  Our friends' home was spared, but the lodge down the road from them was not.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Our local news has actually been talking about the fires and all the damage they have caused.

[slidergirl]

9 hours ago, Taters said:

Over 50 structures were lost to the fires south of Talkeetna as of yesterday.  Our friends' home was spared, but the lodge down the road from them was not.

that is heartbreaking.   I have to remember to FB an old friend - her family owns the Yetna Station Roadhouse.  It's out in the wilderness (no roads, access via boat, floatplane or dogsled).  West of Willow, south of Talkeenta, on the Susitna River.   From what I can visualize from reading, they may be very near one of the wildfires.