Alaska wildfire quickly grows, forces homes to evacuate (VIDEO)



ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — An Alaska wildfire that's mushroomed in size is prompting help from people offering their homes to scores of displaced residents and their animals.

The human-caused Sockeye Fire reported north of Anchorage grew to 6,500 acres and led to the voluntary evacuation of up to 1,700 homes. One firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion.

Fire information spokesman Tim Mowry says 210 residents signed in at evacuation centers in Houston and near Talkeetna.

Residents with properties away from the fire are taking to Facebook on a site dedicated to the fire to offer their homes and properties to displaced people.

Among them is Kendra Zamzow, who is offering space for people and animals on her 2-acre property in the community of Chickaloon about 50 miles southeast of the fire. Zamzow says she has plenty of room.