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Staying Safe and Preventing Fires During Alaska’s Hunting Season

By Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection on September 7, 2025

During Alaska’s hunting season, the Division of Forestry & Fire Protection wants to remind hunters and other outdoor enthusiasts to help prevent human-caused fires. You should also be aware of the risks of recreating near recently burned areas.

While recent rainfall has increased moisture and reduced wildfire activity in some regions, others remain in high fire danger due to warm, dry, and windy conditions; a single spark can still start a wildfire. So, hunters are encouraged to be careful outdoors.

Campfire Safety

If you plan to have a campfire, follow these tips to minimize fire risk:

Choose an open location: Build your campfire on mineral soil or gravel, away from trees, dry grass, and brush. Make sure there’s no vegetation overhead.
Create a fire ring: Surround your fire with rocks or dig a shallow pit to contain the flames and prevent them from spreading.
Never leave a fire unattended: Someone should always be watching your campfire, even for a short time.
Extinguish thoroughly: Before leaving or going to sleep, pour water on the flames, stir the ashes, and ensure the fire is cold to the touch. A smoldering fire can easily reignite.

Graphic showing how to put out a fire. First panel is of a wildfire, second panel is someone pouring water on the fire, third panel is a fire that isn't completely out, then fourth and last panel shows it on fire again. — Take these steps to make sure your campfire is completely extinguished.

Equipment Safety

Your hunting equipment can also start fires. Here’s how to prevent that:

Two UTVs are parked near a wooded area that has recently been charred by fire. The UTV on the left is blue and black, while the one on the right is red and black. The ground is muddy and brown. A puddle of muddy water is the foreground and focus of the photo. — Two UTVs parked on a muddy access road on the Nenana Ridge Complex. July 29, 2025. Jessica Zamudio / DOF

Spark arresters: Make sure your ATV, chainsaw, and other motorized equipment have properly installed and functioning spark arresters. These devices prevent sparks from escaping and igniting dry vegetation.
Inspect your equipment: Regularly check your equipment’s exhaust, muffler, and engine for any buildup of dry grass or other debris that could catch fire.
Trailer safety: If you’re using a trailer, tighten the cross chains to prevent them from dragging and creating sparks on the road.

Risks of Hunting in Burned Areas

Recent wildfire-burned areas pose serious hidden dangers. Be prepared and stay informed about recent wildfire activity in your hunting area. When recreating in these areas, be mindful of the following hazards:

Fairbanks 1 opening some ash pits to be exposed to the intermittent rain to help cool off the duff layers.

Ash Pits: These can be nearly invisible, especially in low light. They are created when a ground fire consumes underground fuels, leaving a hidden, superheated hole filled with ash and embers. Stepping into one can cause severe burns.
Fire-Weakened Trees (Snags): Even if a tree appears to be standing, its root system or lower trunk may have been burned and weakened. These trees can fall without warning, especially in windy conditions, and can lead to a domino effect of falling trees.
Unstable Terrain: The soil in burned areas is often compromised, making it prone to erosion. There are also areas where the landscape has gone through suppression repair to minimize the erosion impacts, but these areas should be avoided to help the landscape recover. Slopes and trails may be unstable, and there may be hidden holes or tripping hazards from burned-out root systems.