Funny River News

The Funny River Chamber of Commerce will soon be getting an invaluable piece of equipment for contending with emergency situations in their relatively remote area -- an emergency power generator.

Icy roads earlier this week left many drivers in ditches along the side of the road, and with cooler temperatures predicted again this weekend, motorists should take precautions for this and future winter driving conditions.

Former Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education member Gregory Gabriel Jr., Kenai, learned something Tuesday night.

There's $50,000 dollars buried in Dave and Betty Lowery's yard. At least that's what Dave Lowery estimates.

Years ago I talked with a visiting artist from California who had a show at one of the local galleries.

Spirits were high and laughs were plentiful Saturday as the Soldotna Chamber of Commerce and a bevy of busy volunteers directed, organized and downright wrangled, horses, dogs, kids, parents and vehicles into the annual celebration residents have come to rely on for the past 49 years -- the Progress Days parade.

FireWise, the nationally recognized educational and outreach program that teaches homeowners pre-wildfire defensible space strategies, is once again taking its message to residents of the Kenai Peninsula.

Hundreds of firefighters battled dozens of wildland blazes across Alaska on Saturday, and incident managers scheduled a meeting in Funny River tonight to answer questions and provide updates on the Shanta Creek fire east of Soldotna.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009, 7:00 p.m. Fire Information: 260-2338 or 260-2342 Fire E-mail Address : r7shanta@fws.gov Fire Activity Picks Up on Southeast Side of Shanta Creek Fire Warm, dry weather brought a surge in fire activity to the Shanta Creek fire today.

Fire managers will meet with Funny River Road residents tonight to provide an update on the Shanta Creek wildfire, which has burned more than 13,000 acres of the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge between Tustumena Lake and the community of Funny River.

Monday, July 13, 2009, 8:00 a.m. Fire Information: 260-2338 or 260-2342 Fire E-mail Address : r7shanta@fws.gov While the Shanta Creek fire grew by about 1,000 acres on Sunday afternoon, the growth experienced was primarily on the east side of the fire.

Saturday, July 11, 2009, 4:00 p.m. NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FIRE INFORMATION: 260-2338 or 260-2342 SUBJECT: Shanta Creek Fire Community Meeting Scheduled for July 12 Fire managers and community officials have scheduled a community meeting to update residents within the Funny River Road area and others on the current status of the Shanta ...

The Shantatalik Creek fire grew to between 8,000 and 10,000 acres as of Thursday evening, and a National Emergency Management Organization team has assumed command of the blaze which has blanketed parts of the central peninsula in smoke this week.

It would have been tough to miss the large smoke plume that began rising toward the sky late Sunday afternoon, emanating from a wildland fire that originated off of Funny River Road.

Due to continued dry weather and a forecast for gusty, afternoon winds throughout the week, the Kenai-Kodiak Area the Alaska Division of Forestry has suspended the use of permits for open burning for the Kenai Peninsula.A Burning in barrels will not be allowed during the suspension.

If favorable weather persists, the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge is planning to continue implementation of the Lily Lake prescribed fire project, possibly as early as the end of this week or early next week.

Two separate wildland fires were accidentally started Tuesday on the Kenai Peninsula, but both were quickly contained.

I frankly have to admit to spending some time today staring out the window at work and wishing I was on the course.