East end burns

Day after day, the sun has dominated the persistent rains of the Pacific, while freeze dried vegetation rustles in the incessant sea breeze, waiting for a spark.
It was only a matter of time before a spark became a blaze, and now the far western edge of the Kenai Peninsula is ablaze.
Firefighters fought through Thursday to gain control of the 1,200 acre blaze that started Tuesday evening when a power line was believed to have sparked a downed tree.


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The size of the blaze is relatively small, however, its proximity to three Russian Old Believer Villages, Voznesenka, Razdolna and Kachemak Selo, remains a concern.
Evacuation orders were issued, though few have responded thus far.
At last check the fire had stopped its spread, but remained hot and ready to advance.
For more on the fire and the effected community's response, visit the Clarion's sister paper, the Homer News.

It's odd to think about forest fires this time of year as the world is literally exploding back to life. Often we associate spring with a lush abundance of new life, not the erasal of old, but here, that seems to be the case.
As my barber in in Soldotna said, "It's a dry country this time of year."
April is the driest month of the year, and May isn't too far behind.
I drive down Greatland St. slower than I did in the darkest depths of winter when it was only a lane and a half wide, not out of fear that a half ton moose will emerge from the inky darkness and leave us both in a bloody mess, but simply because I kick up a ton of dust even rolling through at less then 20mph.
Small grass fires have ignited in the Kenai-Soldotna area as well, but quick responses have kept them from spreading beyond a few hundred yards.
Hopefully no fools decide to let their campfires get out of hand this weekend, as rains aren't predicted to fall for at least a week.

In other news, I was talking with Narva today, and I was reminded that I fly to southern Cal in exactly TWO WEEKS, SWEEET!