Copper Valley, Facing Unusually Low Snow Cover, To Require Burn Permits By March 17th, 2025
Early Wildland Fire Season Expected in Alaska BY ALASKA DIVISION OF FORESTRY & FIRE PROTECTION on MARCH 6, 2025 A public order w...

Early Wildland Fire Season Expected in Alaska
A public order was issued declaring an early fire season in Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection’s (DOF) Coastal Region and Southeast Alaska. Burn permits will be required for all lands in the order starting March 17, 2025.
The Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection (DOF) has issued a Public Order declaring an early start to fire season in DOF’s Coastal Region that includes much of Southwest, Southcentral and Southeast Alaska. The State Forester has determined that weather conditions including warm temperatures and low snowpack across specific areas of Alaska raises the risk of wildland fire ahead of the statutorily-designated fire season, which typically starts April 1. The order goes into effect on Monday, March 17, 2025 at 12:00am.
Areas of heightened wildfire danger include:
- Copper River-Valdez DOF protection area,
- Mat-Su DOF protection area,
- Kenai-Kodiak DOF protection area,
- McGrath-Southwest DOF protection area, and
- All of Southeast Alaska

Increased risk of wildland fire in these areas warrants an early declaration of wildland fire season beginning on March 17, 2025. Burn permits are required for these areas at all times during the fire season. Under Alaska Statute AS 41.15.010 Permits, this order applies to all state, private and municipal lands within the region (see attached map). Areas not specified in this order are not subject to this early fire season designation.
More information about burn permits, safe burning practices, and how to prevent human-caused wildfires is available at dnr.alaska.gov/burn.
The full Public Order, as authorized under AS 41.15.050 Fire Season, is available at: https://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/Notices/View.aspx?id=218695 or can be viewed as a PDF here.