An alert neighbor and a quick response from firefighters at about 6 p.m. Sunday saved two East End Road houses from being destroyed by a wind driven wildfire.

Kachemak Emergency Services, Alaska Division of Forestry, Homer Volunteer Fire Department and Anchor Point Emergency Services all went to the 2.1-acre fire in the woods behind four homes between Yukon Street and Greer Road on the north side of East End Road near Mile 9.

A resident of the area, Jack Allen, noticed black smoke, called 911 and began attacking the flames with a garden hose. Allen happened to be outside detailing his truck when he noticed black smoke from a neighbor’s yard two lots to the west. He called 911 and Soldotna dispatchers paged out Kachemak Emergency Services and Alaska Division of Forestry to respond from Basargin Road, where they had just begun mopping up a 3.1-acre wildland fire on Basargin Road off Mile 19 East End Road that had started about 4:40 p.m.

“I’m glad I called in time to slow it down and get it there,” Allen said Tuesday. “I’m sure it would have been a bad deal otherwise if I had been in my house or not in the yard.”

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