Alaska wildland fire leadership encourages people to prepare for the upcoming season

Winter’s grip might have felt endless this year, but the wildfire season is at our doorstep.

Snow has vanished in much of the state, leaving exposed grasses that dry quickly under spring sun and winds. It only takes one spark – from an ATV, snowmachine, a trailer chain, a burn barrel – to start a fast moving wildfire.

Alaska Wildland Fire Prevention and Preparedness Week

This week (May 3-9) is Alaska Wildland Fire Prevention and Preparedness Week, a timely reminder to explore the resources available to help communities prepare for and better understand wildland fire. The interagency Alaska Wildland Fire Information (akfireinfo.com) website remains the central hub for information on active incidents and links related to wildfires.

Human-Caused Wildfires

The public’s role in preventing wildfires cannot be overstated. Human activity sparks roughly 60% of Alaska’s wildfires with most of them starting near communities where the risks to people are often immediate.

That’s why Alaska’s fire season statutorily starts on April 1, when Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection burn permits are required conduct open burning on state, private and most municipal lands to help prevent these wildfires. Of the 30 fires reported by May 7, all but 25 have been determined to be caused by humans. Preventing these starts is the most effective way to protect communities and reduce the cost and impact of wildfire.

Take Time to Learn Before You Burn

Burning yard waste in a pile or barrel is a normal spring chore for many Alaskan homeowners. We encourage you to remove hazardous vegetation around your home by following the principals in the Firewise Alaska brochure.

Prior to burning, homeowners should obtain a burn permit and follow safe burning practices for burning brush piles, using burn barrels, agricultural burning and burning of maintained lawns as outlined on the DFFP Take Time to Learn Before You Burn website. When possible, consider a safer approach by using designated woody debris disposal sites operated by local municipalities, boroughs or state DFFP offices. Find locations on the DFFP interactive map.

Impacts of Alaska Wildfires

While Alaska’s wildfire seasons vary from year to year, overall, the region is experiencing larger and more frequent fires. A recent summary of wildfire trends is available in Alaska’s Changing Wildfire Environment 2.0, compiled by the University of Alaska Fairbanks Alaska Fire Science Consortium with contributions from the Alaska wildfire management community.

The impacts of these fires are felt across the state. During active wildfire seasons, smoke particulates pollute the air. Visibility can be so limited that road travel or aviation operations, including evacuations and aerial firefighting, are not possible. Smoke poses a significant health hazard, especially to children, the elderly, and those with existing heart and lung conditions. Find more information on the easy-to-use air quality webpage about wildfire smoke impacts.

Alaska’s interagency wildland fire managers will continue working closely with federal, state, and local governments, as well as Native corporations and tribes, to provide a unified approach to wildfire management. The goal remains the same: to be better prepared for increased wildfire activity and to protect lives, communities, vital infrastructure, and public and private lands.

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Categories: AK Fire Info