A broken black spruce tree lies in the middle of Baron Park Road behind the old Lowe’s building on Monday, Dec. 4, 2017 in Kenai, Alaska. Gusts of wind up to 55 miles per hour whipped across the western Kenai Peninsula on Monday afternoon, knocking power lines and trees down and keeping first responders busy. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

A broken black spruce tree lies in the middle of Baron Park Road behind the old Lowe’s building on Monday, Dec. 4, 2017 in Kenai, Alaska. Gusts of wind up to 55 miles per hour whipped across the western Kenai Peninsula on Monday afternoon, knocking power lines and trees down and keeping first responders busy. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Fallen trees cause power outages across central peninsula

High winds brought down trees across the Kenai Peninsula on Monday. In many cases, those trees also brought down power lines.

By 2 p.m, Central Emergency Services had responded to two downed power lines in Soldotna: one on Spruce Avenue that started a small fire in some construction debris, and another that fell across East Redoubt Street. Nikiski’s fire department responded to three downed lines. No injuries occurred in any of the incidents, according to CES and Nikiski Fire Department officials.

Homer Electric Association crews also spent the day rushing. Around 2 p.m, the electrical utility was dealing with 15 outages at once between Nikiski and Sterling, according to HEA Director of Member Relations Bruce Shelley.

“It’s been crazy,” Shelley said.

The largest of these outages was in Kenai’s Beaver Loop area, where 263 meters lost power.

“There were able to bring that back on pretty quick — I believe they had it back on in 45 minutes,” Shelley said.

Other outages affected up to 43 meters. A Sunday power outage also left 214 members at the end of Funny River Road temporarily without power.

Reach Ben Boettger at benjamin.boettger@peninsulaclarion.com.

More in News

A towering Lutz spruce, center, in the Chugach National Forest is about to be hoisted by a crane Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2015, for transport to the West Lawn of Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., to be the 2015 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree. (Photo courtesy of the U.S. Forest Service)
Tongass National Forest selected to provide 2024 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree

Eight to 10 candidate trees will be evaluated, with winner taking “whistlestop tour” to D.C.

A slash pile containing non-organic construction debris is seen at the Snug Harbor Slash Disposal site on Sept. 22, 2020, in Cooper Landing, Alaska. (Photo courtesy Kenai Peninsula Borough Land Management)
Assembly OKs concrete lease in Cooper Landing

The vote came amid widespread community opposition to the agreement

Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion
Children hunt for Easter eggs during the Easter Eggstravaganza at Nikiski Community Recreation Center on Saturday.
Easter eggs, bunnies arrive on the Kenai Peninsula

There are plenty of opportunities to grab a photo with the Easter bunny or seek out some eggs

Flier for Bear Awareness and Electric Fencing Workshops. (Provided by Defenders of Wildlife)
Local workshops to focus on managing bear attractants, electric fencing

The series will run Monday through Friday, April 1-5, in Hope, Seward, Kenai, Soldotna and Homer

A person walks up the steps of the Alaska Capitol, Jan. 16, 2023, in Juneau, Alaska. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer, File)
Some KPBSD schools could benefit from internet bill passed by House

If House Bill 193 becomes law, an additional six KPBSD schools would be eligible for the state’s grant program

Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion
A veterinarian with Greater Good Charities escorts dog Maggie into a free spay/neuter clinic at the Moose Pass Fire Station on Thursday.
Moose Pass rallies behind free spay and neuter clinic

The clinic was put on by Greater Good Charities Good Fix program

Signage marks the entrance to Nikiski Middle/High School on Monday, May 16, 2022, in Nikiski, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Nikiski student arrested after school shooting threats

The juvenile student faces charges of terroristic threatening

Armageddon waits to be shown at the Kenai Peninsula District 4-H Agriculture Expo on Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Bjorkman farm tax relief bill clears Senate

The bill is now up for consideration in the House

Most Read