BLM AFS and U.S. Army Alaska to Conduct Prescribed Burn in Oklahoma Impact Area
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(FAIRBANKS, Alaska) – Starting as early as Sunday, the BLM Alaska Fire Service (BLM AFS) and U.S. Army Alaska (USARAK) will implement prescribed fires in the Oklahoma Impact Area, located approximately 15 miles southwest of Delta Junction. As weather conditions allow, prescribed burning may continue through May 31. Trained personnel will monitor the burn areas throughout the prescribed fire period until declaring the fires out.
The prescribed fire operation will remove dead grass on training ranges for the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force. Removing the dead grass now will decrease fire danger around military training targets used during the summer. The result will be green grass that has reduced flammability.
Fires will be ignited only when favorable weather conditions are present. An approved burn plan is in place and includes authorization from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC). Smoke may be visible from Delta Junction and the Richardson Highway. The BLM AFS and USARAK are working with ADEC and the National Weather Service to monitor smoke conditions during the planning phase to ensure compliance with local, state, and federal policies and regulations governing air quality. These prescribed fires fall well outside the Fairbanks North Star Borough air quality control program’s nonattainment area and time frame.
For more information contact the wildland fire information office at (907) 356-5511, or the Upper Yukon-Tanana Dispatch Center at (907) 356-5554. A map of the area is attached.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.