High Fire Danger in Mat-Su

Last month was the warmest February on record, and the winter was the second warmest. Right now the Matanuska-Susitna Borough has high fire conditions, explains Ken Barkley, Deputy Director of Fire in an audio clip posted here. Learn about a recent brush pile burn that grew out of control in minutes. 

Learn the rules about burn permits, burn barrels, and conditions for burning on the State's Division of Forestry web page.

Listen to Deputy Director Barkley by clicking on a file on the right.

Last June, the Sockeye Fire near Willow spread rapidly.

Here's some bullets on that fire.

Sockeye Fire, began June 14, 2015

• 7,220 acres burned

• 500 firefighters worked

• More than $8 million to fight the blaze  (including Borough)

Borough costs: (seeking State disaster relief funds)

Debris management  $44,194.42

EOC, emergency operation center, costs  $67,158.07

Fire Suppression  $37,434.26

• 55 structures damaged— reduction in assessed value-$2,640,585 for fiscal year 2015

• 186 land parcels damaged—reduction in assessed value-$990,760 for fiscal year 2015

• Willow dog mushers and others evacuated up to 1,000 dogs

• 11 dog deaths (heat exhaustion included)

a cat, a goat and other pets died

many creatures saved, down to the chickens  

Photo by Stefan Hinman/Mat-Su Borough. For more information call Ken Barkley, Borough Deputy Director of Fire 861-8003.