10 P.M. THURSDAY UPDATE:
The fire burning near Card Street in Sterling grew 33 percent throughout Thursday to more than 12,000 acres, according to Division of Forestry spokesman Tim Lowry.
However, the fire continues to spread eastward and away from nearby homes. Firefighters on the ground and in the air are focusing their attention on protecting structures.
Heading into the evening, there are an estimated 2,000 firefighters in the state and 55 active fires large and small.
That puts the number of fires this season at 286, which have scorched a small-for-Alaska 89,820 acres overall, Lowry said: “We’ll probably get over 100,000 tonight,” he added.
2:30 P.M. THURSDAY UPDATE:
Evacuations have been lifted for subdivisions from the Feuding Lane and Kenai Keyes intersections, the Kenai Peninsula Borough says.
“Kenai Keyes SOUTH to the Kenai River remains evacuated status,” a spokeswoman wrote. “Please use caution when returning to your residence.”
It was a message that residents were hoping for. According to the Division of Forestry today, the subdivisions that were threatened by the now-9,000-acre Card Street Fire appear to be out of the danger zone.
The decision to turn back on the power to homeowners in the Kenai Keyes area is expected about 6 p.m. tonight.
That’s the good news. The fire also remains the top priority wildfire in the United States and has destroyed at least 11 buildings. While most structures are protected, firefighters are now focusing on making sure the flames do not jump the highway.
Some evacuation orders are still in effect on the road to Kenai Keyes, while crews continue to make sure there are no hot spots.
Fire officials have estimated the cost of fighting the wildfire at $1.06 million as of this morning.
— Nikki Carvajal & Tulsi Patil
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About Mike Neuman
Identical twin; Long-time advocate of protection of our environment; Married; Father to three sons; Grandfather to one granddaughter; Born and raised in Wisconsin; Graduate of University of Wisconsin; post graduate degrees in agricultural economics and Water Resources Management fro UWMadison; Former School Crossing Guard for City of Madison; Bike to Work for 31 years with Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; Retired from DNR in 2007; Biked to school crossing guard site 2 X daily for 7 years retiring in 2019; in addition to being an advocate of safeguarding our environment, I am also an advocate for humane treatment of animal, children, and people in need of financial resource for humane living. I am presently a Volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, Madison, Wisconsin.
I oppose all long (>500 miles) distance travel (via fossil fuel burning) for nonessential purposes and all ownership of more than one home.
I am opposed to militarism in any form particularly for the purpose of monetary gain.
I am a Strong believer in people everywhere having the right to speak their minds openly, without any fear of reprisal, regarding any concerns; especially against those in authority who are not acting for the public good?in a timely fashion and in all countries of the world not just the U S..
My identical twin, Pat, died in June 2009.
He was fired from his job with the National Weather Service despite having a long and successful career as a flood forecaster with the Kansas City National Weather Service. He took a new position in the Midwest Regional Office in Minneapolis.
Unfortunately, Pat’s work for the NWS went sour after he began to see the evidence for concern about rising global temperatures shortly after relocating to Minneapolis, and how they appeared to effect of flooding on the Red River that flows out of Canada before entering the U.S. in North Dakota.
. Pat and I conversed on a regular basis with other scientists on the Yahoo Group named “Climate Concern “ and by personal email. The NWS denied his recommendation to give his public presentation o n his research at the “Minneapolis Mall of America” in February 2000, which deeply affected h,im. I will h He strongly believed the information ought be shared with the public to which I concurred. That was the beginning of the vendetta against my brother, Patrick J. Neuman, for speaking strongly of the obligations the federal government was responsible for accurately informing the citizenry.
A way great similar response to my raising the issue of too many greenhouse gases being emitted by drivers of vehicles on Wisconsin highway system, my immediate supervisors directed: “that neither global warming, climate change nor the long term impacts upon the natural resources of Wisconsin from expansion of the state highway system were to be any part of my job requirements, and that I must not communicate, nor in a memorandum to all the bureau, shall any person who works in the same bureau I do communicate with me, neither verbally on the phone, by email.
All Things Environmental 
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