SPK Dog Log

We have been surrounded by wildland fires this summer and the trend is not letting up. The Stuart Creek 2 fire, on military lands just to the southeast of SP Kennel, grew dramatically in the past few days. On Monday the Alaska Fire Service reported that the fire had burned 10,000 acres. By last night the fire had grown to 45,000 acres, fanned by increasing south winds.

As I write this, the fire’s NW perimeter is reported to be 4 1/2 miles from the Chena River and 7 miles from Chena Hot Springs Road at about Mile Marker 26. We are south of 21 Mile Chena Hot Springs Road.

Yesterday morning Fairbanks North Star Borough issued an evacuation ‘watch’ for our area. Be ready to go at a moment’s notice!

By mid afternoon, the kennel was ready. Dog trucks and pick ups with crates were equipped to transport every SP dog, if needed. Box trailers were loaded with dog food, water, tethers, medical supplies and more. Open trailers had all our ATV’s strapped aboard. Clothes, people food, computers and records were packed. The caravan was ready to head to Scotty and Bridgett’s home west of Fairbanks.

SP Kennel evacuation caravan is ready. IV supervises.

At about 7 pm, we had 20 minutes of light rain, the first rain in 3 weeks. That moderated fire conditions a bit and the evacuation order hasn’t come (yet).

The fire is still close by. Although the immediate danger has subsided, we remain on high alert.

Teddy protecting coolers of food and water. She is ready to go, if necessary!

Aliy signed up for her 14th running of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and Allen wasn’t two steps behind her, signing up for his 7th race. That will mean once again SP Kennel will have 32 fantastic canine athletes in the “Last Great Race”. The double sign up decision was made after three major kennel sponsors agreed to back the musher duo for another season. A BIG thanks to Horizon Lines of Alaska, Eagle Pack Natural Pet Food and Clarion Suites Downtown.

Today’s Iditarod Volunteer Appreciation Picnic and 2014 Sign-ups was a blast, with mushers and volunteers mingling on a perfect afternoon at the Iditarod Trail Committee Headquarters in Wasilla. Danny Seybert of Penn Airways delivered fresh Sockeye Salmon for the Iditarod BBQ grill and the folks at Golden Corral laid out a feast fit for a champions and aspiring champions.

Aliy signs up for Iditarod 2014. Mark your calendars for the start on March 1, 2014.

Allen hands in registration forms for Iditarod 2014.

A total of fifty-two mushers signed up today. So the countdown begins. The race starts in only 244 days and 20 hours.

Check out the 2014 Musher List on www.Iditarod.com.

The Crowe Family – Kaz, Ray and Sam – live in a log cabin on the edge of a black spruce forest a little way across the Chena River valley from the kennel. The neighborhood is very independent with most families subsisting on hunted meat and fish, gardened vegetables, bee hive honey and neighborhood chicken eggs. This is the time of year to get the veggies going and growing. The permafrost in the ground around their cabin doesn’t allow for “normal” gardening practices so, Kaz and Sam work their magic in a tightly packed greenhouse and several raised beds.

Kaz has been writing a Blog – Check it out HERE

I looked out the window at midnight and saw a glorious full moon. It sat just above the horizon in all of its immense glory. I thought “Wouldn’t it be grand to have a good ole Full Moon Chorus tonight?” So, as you’ll hear, it took very little convincing to have the entire yard burst into a howl. I LOVE these dogs!

WEATHER
Still way too hot for Interior Alaska. Highs of 85 to 90 this week and little chance of rain.

FIRE UPDATE
My plan was to write a short piece in July about the SP Kennel community’s dedication to the prevention and control of wildland fires during the summer. Sudden, fast moving wildfires are a fact of life in Alaska where most of us live in the woods. During very hot, dry weather (like last week’s sunny, 88 degrees and relative humidity of 17%) these woods become tinder boxes. Lightening or human error can cause an inferno. And that’s what happened one week ago.

Aliy’s post on June 18 explained the fire that came way too close to home last Monday. Even though the fire is contained, it still has the potential to flare up. An Incident Command Post (ICP) is now set up in the parking lot of Two Rivers Lodge. Firefighting crews with extensive ground equipment continue to check the entire 120 acre burn for hot spots. They will monitor the burn area until weather conditions change.

Our SP family was intimately involved in fire mitigation from the beginning. Ray coordinated Initial Attack Resources until the fire was contained. Ryne and Kaz were among the first volunteers with dog trucks to help evacuate dogs. Abbie West, neighbor and local musher, directed traffic. Derrick, who has been a smoke jumper for 20 years, was Jumper in Charge of the team that jumped into the neighboring field. Our neighbor Jeff, along with Kaz and Ryne, helped ferry the smoke jumpers to the active site. Meghan, who is a dispatcher for the Alaska Fire Service this summer, was on the west side of the fire, providing moral support for the evacuees. Doug and I evacuated Megan’s dogs and stood sentinel at SP in case we had to move dogs while Aliy and Allen hurried home.

I want to personally thank the Alaska Fire Service and Division of Forestry for an incredibly professional job of protecting our lives and property. And special kudos to our family, friends and neighbors here in Two Rivers who volunteered unselfishly. So there, Superman, Batman and Ironman! Here in Two Rivers we are surrounded by the real SUPER HEROES.

Click here for an interesting article on the aircraft used in fighting our fire.

SPK SPONSORS
This past week Aliy, Allen, Mickey, Doug and Ranger travelled to Anchorage to touch base with our SP Kennel major sponsors and supporters. On Wednesday Aliy and Allen (and Ranger) presented an Iditarod overview to ‘Visit Anchorage’, a group of Alaska tourism business leaders. On Thursday we joined our Clarion Suites friends at a fund raising event for the fantastic Alaska Zoo. On Friday we visited the Horizon Lines headquarters, where Ranger was star of the show. Then Friday afternoon Doug and Allen played in a golf tournament to support Covenant House of Anchorage. Busy few days!!

L-R: Doug, Aliy, Barbara from Clarion Suites and Quality Inn, and Allen at the Zoo, Ranger calls the meeting to order at Horizon Lines’ offices.

There was a wildfire that started about 4 miles from the kennel yesterday evening. The plume of smoke was visible from the edge of the dog yard. Allen and Aliy were in Denali National Park speaking to tourists when both Kaz and Ryne called to give them the news. They came straight home.

By this time, the Two Rivers neighborhood and the Alaska Wildland firefighting professionals really pulled together and tamed a very hazardous situation.

Ray was actually driving home from work (he is a firefighter) and saw the signs of a fire. Soon the state and federal agencies were throwing all resources at it. Meghan, who is currently employed by Alaska Fire Service, was given a half day off – only to sit at a wildfire roadblock for hours while trying to return home to Charlet and Tina Turner.

Hot shots, smokejumpers, various fire crews, as well as helicopters and airplanes worked the fire into the night. By, 11 PM the road block was lifted and many of the flames were contained.

The incredible temperatures and dry forests in Interior Alaska this summer might lead to a crazy wildland fire season. We hope this one was as close to us as they will get!! Regardless, we have dog boxes and trucks ready in case humans or dogs need to be moved in a hurry.

The fire came across Chena Hot Spring Road at 16 mile. The kennel turn off is 21 mile.

Alaska Fire Service Smokejumpers landed in the field adjacent to the kennel.

Derek was the first Smokejumper to land.

Ray and Derek talk “Fire talk”.

Some beautiful shots from Interior Alaska in June.

By Kennel Mom (aka Mickey)

WEATHER
Summer conditions are here! National Weather Service calls for temperatures in the 80’s and no rain for the next 5 days. Saturday it was close to 90 degrees. SP dogs tuck in the shade of their houses during the heat of the day and play at night, which sometimes makes it hard for Aliy and Allen to sleep. Of course, the sun sets for just over 2 hours these days so there really isn’t much night at all.

                                 Dingle is ‘cool’ in the shadow of his house.

CANINE WARRIORS
Our SP dogs once again take part in the ‘Canine Warrior’ study, spearheaded by Dr. Mike Davis, from Oklahoma State University. Tests last summer analyzed the effects of electrolytes on canine hydration. (No definitive results have been announced yet.) This summer’s focus is the role of proteins in maintaining hydration levels. Results will ultimately be used by our military to improve the performance of bomb sniffing dogs in the Middle East.

Last week sixteen dogs and 3 humans began walking specified distances on trails around the kennel. Over the course of 7 weeks they will gradually increase these timed walks from 3.5 hours three times a week, to 8 hours five times a week. Blood tests at the middle and the end of the walking protocol provide data.

Aliy asked Ryne to be the operational leader for this 2013 testing. Ryne has marked all the trails, set up rest camps, prepped the dogs and the ‘doggie hotel’, readied the special dog diets, trained the human walkers and devised the record keeping system. She also factored in walking speeds, group dynamics and personality traits to select the test dogs and divide them into walking groups of 4 to 6. Chemo, Waylon, Viper, Honda, Rambler, Nelson, Lester, Tug, Dingle, Beemer, Spicy, Spoog, Scooter, Willie, Outlaw and Boris get to roam the trails. What fun for them and their humans! P.S. Each dog is equipped with a GPS collar to keep track of their mileage and location.

Expect more reports on this project as the testing continues.

Above L-R: Outlaw enjoys the shade and cool water in the Doggie Hotel; Beemer models his GPS collar for Ryne.