Smoke is pouring from lines of fire surrounding Levelock. The air is hazy, and the tundra is black. But after three days of fighting the blaze on the edge of their village, residents are finally starting to see progress. As of this morning, the fire was 5% contained.
Sally Reed is coordinating supplies and local volunteers, and she said they saw the most improvement Wednesday.
“We’re getting a lot more trees cut down by the houses," she explained. "And then half the crew is going to get ready to come up towards the airport and work on this end. And then there’s maybe about four people going to be working down on the lower end with water bags and shovels.”
People from New Stuyahok, Koliganek and Iliamna have joined Levelock residents to help stem the blaze, sleeping in the village rec hall and the school.
“Everybody seems to be in good spirits so far. And you know, holding up and making each other laugh, and just trying to have fun, I guess, with this situation,” Reed said.