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BLM AFS, U.S. Army to burn debris piles on military training lands in Interior Alaska

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FAIRBANKS, Alaska — The Bureau of Land Management Alaska Fire Service (BLM AFS), in cooperation with the U.S. Army Garrison Alaska, will burn piles of woody debris on military training lands in Interior Alaska starting as early as Sunday, Oct. 8. Burning operations for piles may continue, as conditions allow, until Oct. 31. 

Crews from the BLM AFS and the Garrison created these piles over the past few summers as part of several hazardous fuels reduction projects conducted to reduce the risk of wildfire on military lands. The piles slated for burning were created with the unsalvageable wood left over from these projects.

The roughly 250 piles targeted for burning are located and are prioritized in this order:

  • Fort Wainwright Main Post:  Four different locations in the vicinity of Birch Hill and River Road. 
  • Yukon Training Area:  Two locations between 5 miles north and 15 miles east of Eielson Air Force Base. 
  • Donnelly Training Area:  Three locations between 15 miles west and 8 miles southeast of Delta Junction. 

The piles will be ignited when weather conditions will minimize the impact of smoke on populated areas in accordance with open burn approvals issued by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC). The BLM AFS and Garrison are working with the ADEC and the National Weather Service to forecast and monitor smoke conditions to ensure compliance with all local, state, and federal regulations governing air quality. 

For more information about the prescribed fires on military training lands, contact the BLM AFS Dispatch Center in Fairbanks at (907) 356-5555 or BLM AFS Public Information Specialist Beth Ipsen at eipsen@blm.gov or (907)388-2159.

Map of Fairbanks area with red dots indicating areas where woody debris piles slated for burning are located.
Map of Fairbanks area with red dots indicating areas where woody debris piles slated for burning are located. Click on map for a PDF version of this map.
Map of Delta Junction area with red dots indicating areas where woody debris piles slated for burning are located in the Donnelly Training Area.
Map of Delta Junction area with red dots indicating areas where woody debris piles slated for burning are located in the Donnelly Training Area. Click on map for PDF version of map.

– BLM – 

Bureau Of Land Management, Alaska Fire Service, 1541 Gaffney Rd, Fort Wainwright, AK 99703 

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Categories: AK Fire Info, BLM Alaska Fire Service, Fuel Break Project, Prescribed Fire