Burn permits suspended in Mat-Su as National Guard provides support to Nelchina Glacier Fire

The Alaska Division of Forestry (DOF) issued a burn permit suspension Saturday for the Matanuska-Susitna Borough due to increased fire activity across the interior Alaska. The DOF also cites limited fire resources from across the state to respond to escaped fires.

Burning of debris piles, lawns, or utilizing a burn barrel is prohibited.

State law requires those wanting to conduct any open burning on state, private and municipal lands from April 1 through Aug. 31 to get burn permits from the Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection either online or at your local Forestry office. This includes burning brush piles, using burn barrels, agricultural burning and burning of maintained lawns

The burn permit suspension also extends to the Kenai-Kodiak and Copper River Prevention Areas. The suspension will remain in place until fire activity is reduced, and resources become more readily available.

Currently there are dozens of wildfires across the state, with the one most affecting the Mat-Su as of publication, impacting residents and travelers is the Nelchina Glacier Fire (#226), located five miles south of Eureka and west of the Nelchina Glacier. The fire has grown to 750 acres as of June 21. Winds have been pushing the fire northward through black spruce and tundra, contributing to its expansion.

There are 17 total personnel on the fire, while a Blackhawk helicopter from the National Guard has joined the response, assisting with bucket drops toward the head of the fire.

Two Copper River engines remain staged near the fire and continue to support operations as access allows. In addition, a BLM module from Wyoming has arrived to assist with ongoing monitoring and readiness.

Access to the fire area remains challenging due to its proximity to glacier fed rivers, soft tundra, and limited road infrastructure. Firefighters are navigating these challenges and continue to assess opportunities for further action as conditions change.

Another fire to be aware of for those traveling to Denali is the Bear Creek Fire north of Healy.

The Bear Creek Fire (#237) is burning just west of the Parks Highway at Mile Post 263 to 270. On June 20, the Denali Borough issued new evacuations due to escalating fire conditions. As numerous structures are now imminently threatened, aircraft including Air Tankers and helicopters have been brought in to support the firefighting efforts with retardant and water drops.

Currently, the fire evacuation status for Mile 264 to 270 is “GO!”

Mile 262 to 264 west of the Parks Highway is in “SET” meaning those areas should prepare for possible evacuation including having a go-bag ready with clothes, important documents, and emergency supplies.

And for Mile 260 to 262 west of the Parks Highway is currently in “READY.” Residents and visitors are advised to stay alert and monitor for evacuation status updates.

“If you’re near a wildland fire that’s burning, be aware to what’s going on. Pay attention to the news reports and follow the guidelines of the local jurisdictions,” advised Central Mat-Su Fire Department Chief Michael Keenan last month during a wildfire safety event. “If they order an evacuation, follow those orders.”

With multiple fires across the Alaskan landscape, fire managers across the state are prioritizing fires and shifting resources from one location to another across the state to provide the most rapid response to new and existing fires. Fire resources stationed in the Mat-Su, Kenai, and Copper River response areas have been mobilized to the Interior of Alaska to assist with new initial attack fires and rapid rates of spread brought on by unseasonably warm temperatures, receptive fuels and an abundance of lightning associated with our current weather pattern.

While using burn barrels and burning of debris is prohibited, the DOF says that small cooking and warming type fires under 3 feet in diameter are still allowed, but people must use extreme caution due to the wildfire potential should an ember escape or a fire be left unattended or not completely put out. Please check with your local fire departments and local land managers to verify that they do not have additional fire restrictions in place.

During times of limited fire resources and the delayed response of first responders to respond to an escaped burn, new fires will spread rapidly with increasing intensity. Fires in light or dead fuels may quickly demonstrate high intensity characteristics. Fire suppression and mop-up with limited resources will take an extended and thorough effort. Please call your local permit hotline listed below for the status of Burn Permits as conditions change.

You can find more information about the Forestry Burn Permit program and suspensions at www.dnr.alaska.gov/burn

For current information on DOF Burn Permits, call the hotline at DOF Area Offices in the Mat-Su at (907) 761-6312.

For more information regarding Alaska wildland fires, please visit www.akfireinfo.com