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DFFP weekly wildland fire roundup for May 4 – May 10 

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Cooler, wetter weather over much of the Division of Forestry & Fire Protection (DFFP) response area moderated fire behavior, keeping new fires this past week to a minimum. At the time of this report, though, a Red Flag Warning is in place for the Delta Prevention Area. Conditions change rapidly in Alaska. Familiarize yourself with safe burning in Alaska by visiting https://dnr.alaska.gov/burn. Take advantage of a safer alternative to burning by utilizing a woody debris disposal site near you. This information is also on the website mentioned above. 

MATCOM Public Service Dispatch requested DFFP respond to the scene of an RV fire that occurred hours earlier in the morning Wednesday, May 6, south of Big Lake. Responding wildland firefighters reported minor escapement from the earlier fire, smoldering in grass and brush. The 0.1-acre S. Burma Fire (032) was extinguished and called out. 

Fairbanks Forestry Area helicopter reported a coal seam fire in the area of Louise Creek outside of Healy while en route from Palmer to Fairbanks on Friday, May 8. The Louise Creek Coal Seam Fire (038) was reported to be 0.1-acre burning into a coal seam and mineral soil with no vegetation involved. No action was taken and the fire has been placed into monitor status. 

Smoke can be seen outside of Healy from the Louise Creek Coal Seam Fire (038) on Friday, May 8, 2026. Coal seam fires in Alaska are persistent, often natural underground fires that burn for years, notably in the Healy, Sutton, and Wishbone Hill areas. These fires are difficult to extinguish. DFFP photo
Smoke rises from the Louise Creek Coal Seam Fire (038) on Friday, May 8, 2026, outside of Healy. Coal seam fires in Alaska are persistent, often natural underground fires that burn for years, notably in the Healy, Sutton, and Wishbone Hill areas. These fires are difficult to extinguish. DFFP photo

On Friday, May 8, Fairbanks Emergency Communication Center requested DFFP to respond to the area of Old Nenana Hwy in the Goldhill area for a brush fire climbing the hill up toward the Parks Highway. Forestry resources responded to the Conquest Fire (040) with Ester Volunteer Fire Department and Chena Goldstream Fire & Rescue to find a 30ft x 60ft fire burning in grass with minimal spruce involvement. Resources suppressed the fire and declared it contained, controlled, and placed it in monitor status. DFFP wildland firefighters returned Saturday and gridded the burned area to find no heat or visible smoke. The fire has been declared out.  

Burn Permits are required state-wide in Alaska from April 1st to August 31st for anything larger than a cooking/warming fire that is three feet in diameter and two feet in height. These permits include a brush pile of organic material not exceeding 10 feet in diameter by 4 feet in height, a burn barrel for burning only untreated wood, leaves, grass clippings, carboard and paper or burning a maintained lawn of less than 1 acre. For more information on the Burn Permit program go to http://dnr.alaska.gov/burn. 

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Categories: Active Wildland Fire, Alaska DNR - Division of Forestry (DOF)

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