Anchorage readies for ‘very busy and heavy’ wildfire season

A concerning forecast for statewide wildfire danger has local, state and federal authorities in Alaskaโ€™s largest city working on projects to mitigate the threat, including cutting a major fire break through one of Anchorageโ€™s largest areas of parkland.

The work will span just over 3 miles of Campbell Airstrip Road, between Anchorage Fire Department Station 14 and the Basher Drive trailhead, the fire department said in a statement. Under a contract approved Tuesday by the Anchorage Assembly, workers will clear potential wildfire fuels, including spruce and hardwood stands as well as ladder fuels, 150 feet out from each side of the road.

Early overviews posted by the federal Alaska Interagency Coordination Center call for significant wildfire risk in Alaska.

โ€œThe outlook for the wildfire season so far for 2025 has been consistently demonstrating that we are expecting a very busy and heavy wildfire season statewide,โ€ said Stephanie Dufek, the fire departmentโ€™s wildland-urban interface project manager.

Alaska Public Media

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