July 3rd, 2025 Burn Permit Update

 

High fire activity in Alaska Interior forces suspension of burn permits across Alaska   

BY ALASKA DIVISION OF FORESTRY & FIRE PROTECTION on JULY 3, 2025 

Burn permits in the Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection (DOF) Fairbanks, Delta, Tok, Kenai-Kodiak, Mat-Su and Copper River Fire Prevention Areas will be suspended beginning Thursday, July 3. This suspension is being put in place because of an increase in fire activity in Interior Alaska and the relocation of fire resources from across the state to wildfires in Interior Alaska. The suspension will remain in place until fire activity is reduced, and resources become more readily available. With multiple fires on the Alaskan landscape, fire managers from 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 Kenai-Kodiak, Mat-Su 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 warm temperatures, receptive fuels and an abundance of lightning associated with our current weather pattern. 

Burning of debris piles, lawns, or utilizing a burn barrel is prohibited. Please note that cooking and warming type fires under 3 feet in diameter are still allowed but extreme caution must be used 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. 

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. Burn permits are NOT required for camping, cooking or warming fires less than three feet in diameter with flame lengths less than two feet high. However, it’s not suggested during windy days or when and where there are red flag warnings.  

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

For current information on DOF Burn Permits, call the hotline at DOF Area Offices: 

• Tok – (907) 883-1413 ext. 2303 

• Delta – (907) 895-5483 

• Fairbanks – (907) 451-2631 

• Mat-Su Area – (907) 761-6312 

• Kenai-Kodiak – (907) 260-4269 

• Southwest – (907) 524-3010 

• Haines (Northern Southeast Area) – (907) 766-2120 

• Valez/Copper River – (907) 822-8665