As many as 200 firefighters have been battling two deadly blazes that have sprung up in Alaska. The two massive fires have destroyed dozens of homes, threatened hundreds of others and forced authorities to restrict traffic on a major highway.
Hot, windy and dry conditions have made firemen's jobs extremely difficult as they battled what is now known as the Sockeye Fire, which initially covered about two acres when it started in Willow, Alaska. However, the flames detonated like a bomb, quickly engulfing 6,500 acres in less than a day, according to NBC News.
The massive flame, which is about 80 miles away from the largest city in the state, Anchorage, remained at 0 percent containment Monday afternoon.
About 137 miles away, south of Anchorage, another blaze has also started. Though significantly smaller than the Sockeye Fire, it is equally dangerous, threatening to destroy nearly 200 homes, according to Reuters.
It is suspected that the larger fire was ignited by human activity, though the specific cause has not been determined as of yet. Investigations as per the cause of the Sockeye Fire are now undergoing, reports Reuters.
Vern Halter, who represents Willow on the Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly, described the grim situation.
"It's a very somber mood up there. Right when it jumped the highway, I can honestly say I was scared, because there were flames on both sides and in the ditches," Halter said.
Tom Kurth, wildland fire manager for the state Forestry Division, stated that the weather has affected the growth and ferocity of the blazes.
"It's very intimidating when that wind starts blowing and that column leans over and a lot of what's out there begins to become obscured by that heavy smoke," he said.
