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Burning Operations Planned on Military Training Lands in Interior Alaska

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A firefighter uses a drip torch to light grass on fire.
A firefighter uses a drip torch to light dead grass on fire during a prescribed burn on the Donnelly Training Area in 2016. Photo by B. Ipsen, USWFS

Smoke may be visible from prescribed burning near Delta Junction, Fairbanks and North Pole

FAIRBANKS, Alaska – Starting as early as Sunday, May 3, the U.S. Wildland Fire Service (USWFS), in coordination with the U.S. Army Garrison Alaska, will implement prescribed fires in the Donnelly Training Area (DTA), the Yukon Training Area (YTA) and Fort Wainwright. The prescribed burning may continue through May 31, as weather conditions allow.

Prescribed fires remove dry and dead grass and lower the risk of wildfires that could impact nearby communities. Removing the hazardous vegetation in the spring under more moderate conditions allows for the greatest degree of control and the lowest risk for negative impacts, such as smoke.

Taking these preventative measures now will decrease the fire danger around military training targets used during the summer when conditions are hotter, the surrounding woods are dry and more receptive to burning, and firefighting resources to deal with a large wildfire may be limited. Fires will be ignited only when favorable weather conditions are present and forecast. An approved burn plan is in place that includes authorization from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) Division of Air Quality.

The annual prescribed burning is planned at the following locations:  

  • DTA: Several locations between 25 miles west and 15 miles south of Delta Junction. 
  • YTA: Several locations between 5 miles north and 20 miles east of Eielson Air Force Base.
  • Fort Wainwright Area: Small Arms Complex, immediately southeast of Fairbanks between North Pole.

Smoke may be visible during burning operations from Delta Junction, the Richardson Highway, the Alaska Highway, and from within the DTA. During burning operations on the YTA and Small Arms Complex, smoke may be visible from Eielson Air Force Base, Chena Hot Springs Road, Salcha and the Richardson Highway between Fairbanks and North Pole.

Smoke from prescribed fires may be visible from various points in the surrounding communities, however, their potential impact on the public is considered at all stages of prescribed fire planning. The USWFS is working with the ADEC and the National Weather Service to monitor smoke conditions and to ensure compliance with local, state and federal air quality regulations. There are also procedures in place to halt ignitions if conditions become unfavorable. Trained personnel will monitor the prescribed fire areas until the fires are out.

For more information contact USWFS Fire Information at 907-356-5510 or the Yukon Fire Dispatch Center at 907-356-5554.

Areas within the Yukon Training Area and Small Arms Complex south of Fairbanks that are identified for prescribed burning in May 2026. Click here for a PDF version of the map.
Map with lines around areas that are targeted for a prescribed burning.
Areas within the Donnelly Training Area that are identified for prescribed burning in May 2026. Click here for a PDF version of the map.

-USWFS-

U.S. Wildland Fire Service, P.O. Box 35005 1541 Gaffney Road, Fort Wainwright, Ak 99703

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Click on these links for a PDF map of Yukon Training Area and the Donnelly Training Area.

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Categories: AK Fire Info