April is the beginning of fire season in Alaska. Though currently at low fire danger in the Mat-Su Valley, burn permits are required from April 1st through August 31st.
Small-scale burn permits will allow burning of up to one pile of brush up to ten feet in diameter. The permit also will allow use of one 55-gallon burn barrel. Maintained lawns can also be included in a permit if the area burned is less than one acre and the grasses are four inches in height or lower. According to the Department of Natural Resources, brush pile burning and the use of burn barrels are two of the leading sources of human-caused wildland fires in Alaska.
“In April and May, most of the fires we respond to are started by some type of human activity. We typically don’t see lightning-caused fires until late May or early June,” says Division of Forestry and Fire Protection Chief of Fire and Aviation Norm McDonald. “That means most early-season fires are preventable. If people follow the safe burning guidelines on their burn permits, we as Alaskans can help each other out and prevent unintentional wildfires.”
Burn permits only allow for burning organic materials like woody debris, paper, and cardboard. Permit-holders must contact the DNR or check the DNR website for burn bans before lighting the fire.
Burn permits and specific requirements for each type of burn in the Mat-Su Valley are available for free through the DNR’s website at https://dnr.alaska.gov/burn/fireareas/mat-su
