Fire season ramps up, burning suspended

WASILLA — If you’ve got things to burn don’t do it now — or until further notice. The burn ban was lifted Saturday.

Due to winds and low humidity, the Mat-Su Valley is under a Red Flag warning, which means open burning is suspended. And no fires larger than campfires or, in Division of Forestry speak, “cooking or warming fires,” are allowed, even with a burn permit.

“We only had one little fire this morning but this week things are definitely picking,” Norm McDonald, who oversees fire operations for forestry, said Friday afternoon. “We had three fires yesterday and four the day before.”

So far this year, the Mat-Su/Anchorage region of forestry has reported 23 fires and 4.7 acres burned. Most of those were in the Valley and all were human-caused.

“Every fire we’ve had so far this spring has been human caused for the Mat-Su Valley,” McDonald said. “Like today, for example, we suspended all open burning with the red flag that, but we’re still getting people that are unaware of that.”

After April 1 of every year, anyone who wants to burn must get a burn permit. They’re available online at forestry.alaska.gov/burn.

Also, before you start a fire you need to check to make sure burning isn’t suspended. The number to call is 761-6312.

Contact reporter Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.