Alaska firefighters battling blaze near 9 structures

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Firefighters on Tuesday were working to contain wildfires that started west of Talkeetna, including one that was near nine structures.

The biggest of the three fires was named the Kichatna Fire and was about 0.06 square miles (0.01 square kilometers), said Alaska Division of Forestry spokesperson Sam Harrel.

Two helicopter crews responded to the fire, dropping water to slow the spread. Two air tankers, one each from Fairbanks and Palmer, dropped retardant to help protect the structures. Harrel said it wasn’t immediately clear what the structures were.

Firefighters said the fire was mostly contained to the ground with some torching in spruces.

Seven members of a hotshot crew worked the fire until early Tuesday morning after being flown in the night before. The remainder of the crew was to be shuttled in Tuesday.

Another crew was to be flown in. Requests were made for helicopters with bucket capabilities and for an air tanker with retardant.

Of the two other fires, one was less than 1 acre (0.40 hectare) and placed in monitor status. Crews were expected at the second fire, estimated at 5 acres (2 hectares).