BLM AFS, USARAK to Burn Debris Piles on Fort Wainwright
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(FAIRBANKS) – The Bureau of Land Management Alaska Fire Service, in cooperation with the U.S. Army Alaska, will burn debris piles in a wood cutting area on Fort Wainwright’s main post starting as early as Saturday, May 5. As conditions allow, burning may continue through May 31. Trained personnel will monitor the burn areas throughout the prescribed fire period until declaring the fires out.
There are more than 300 debris piles made up of unusable limbs and branches left over from years of wood cutting in an area off of River Road on the north side of the Chena River. These piles were created by BLM AFS hand crews to clean up the area and reduce the chances of large wildfires on Fort Wainwright.
The piles will be ignited when weather conditions are favorable and winds are predicted to direct the smoke away from populated areas. Smoke may be visible during burning operations from within Fort Wainwright. The BLM AFS and USARAK only conduct prescribed fires when weather conditions and site prescriptions are met and an approved burn plan is in place that includes a burn permit approved by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC). The BLM AFS and USARAK are working with the ADEC and the National Weather Service to monitor smoke conditions and air quality 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 time frame.
For more information about the prescribed fire on Fort Wainwright lands, contact the BLM AFS dispatch in Fairbanks at (907) 356-5554. A map of 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.