For many Alaskans, spring’s warming temperatures and lengthening days stir a sense of apprehension about the threat of wildfires. Last season, just under 300,000 acres burned statewide, including high-impact fires like the Lost Horse Creek Fire and Anderson Complex. These Interior Alaska fires, which threatened nearby communities and required significant firefighting effort, were a stark reminder of fire’s potential devastation.
Our northern neighbors in Canada experienced devastation across the country last year. More than 37 million acres burned in a record-shattering season that lasted seven months. Eight people died, about 232,000 residents evacuated from more than 200 communities, and millions, including in the eastern U.S. and western Europe, experienced unhealthy air quality from smoke.