'This year? Don't do it.' Dry conditions spark early fire warnings, permit rules
Mat-Su residents should consider skipping their seasonal brush burns, local officials said.
What you need to know:
- Mat-Su residents must obtain a state permit before conducting private property burns starting March 17 and should consider skipping burns altogether due to early-season fire danger, officials said.
- Low snowpack has left unseasonably dry grass that can easily lead to wildland fires. State and local officials are making early-season fire response preparations but urge residents to help prevent fires.
- Residents can obtain permits online or in person and should take precautions, such as clearing brush and debris, to protect their property.
PALMER – Mat-Su residents must obtain a state permit before conducting any brush or barrel burns starting next week — and should seriously consider skipping the seasonal task altogether, Mat-Su borough fire officials said.
“I think what’s going to happen with residents is, ‘Oh, I’ve burned my yard for 20-some years.’ This year? Don’t do it,” Ken Barkley, the Matanuska-Susitna Borough’s director of emergency services, told Mat-Su Assembly members at a borough planning meeting early this month.
The warning comes as state and borough fire officials prepare for what some fear could be a historic wildfire season with an early start. Unusually low snowpack and warm temperatures across the region have left the ground bare and dry, they said — perfect for inadvertently spreading flames.
“These really fine fuels that are dead and exposed now that the snow is melted, they can just ignite really quickly,” said Lily Coyle, a state forestry spokesperson. “The more Alaskans are aware of how dangerous it is — even if some of the ground is still wet — the better we’ll be.”
Permits issued by the Alaska Division of Forestry are typically required for burning on private property from April 1 to August 31, the state's official fire season. But an official order issued earlier this month pushed that date back to March 17 for most of Southcentral, including Mat-Su. Only campfires smaller than 3 feet in diameter do not require a permit, according to state guidelines.
Mat-Su fire officials said they are preparing for the fire season now through early coordination with state officials and by getting equipment ready. Crews have already swapped out trucks’ winter sanding and plowing equipment for hoses and pumps used to fight wildland fires. That’s a step rarely taken this early in the year, Barkley said.
Statewide, large-scale firefighting operations such as those used to battle the 2015 Sockeye Fire rely on a broad combination of crews that can include local, state and federal firefighters, as well as those sent from other states or Canada.
Officials said they're working with those outside partners to gauge what kind of response help is available for the coming year. They said it's not yet clear how federal budget cuts or firings will ultimately affect seasonal help from the Bureau of Land Management or the U.S. Forest Service.
“We’re all just getting ready to fight wildland fire,” Coyle said. “It may have an impact. We don’t know what that will look like at this time.”
Mat-Su residents can obtain burn permits after March 17 through the state Division of Forestry website or by visiting the state's forestry office at the Palmer Municipal Airport. Conditions such as high winds could trigger the cancellation of permits or large-scale burn bans, officials said.
Residents can prepare their property for fire season by moving brush and trees away from structures, clearing debris from roofs and gutters and properly disposing of flammable materials, according to a state fire prevention guide.
A free on-site property fire hazard assessment is available through the state's Firewise program by contacting Palmer-based stewardship forester Jacob Ruhl at (907) 331-8278.
-- Contact Amy Bushatz at contact@matsusentinel.com
