BLM Alaska Fire Service, U.S. Army to Burn Debris Piles on Military Lands South of Delta Junction

Organization:

Bureau of Land Management

BLM Office:

Alaska Fire Service

(FAIRBANKS, Alaska) –The Bureau of Land Management Alaska Fire Service (BLM AFS), in cooperation with the U.S. Army Alaska (USARAK), will be burning piles of woody debris on the Donnelly Training Area south of Delta Junction and the Gerstle River Training Area southeast of Delta Junction. Burning operations may start as early as Friday, Oct. 26 and may continue, as conditions allow, until Nov. 18. 

The piles targeted for burning on the Donnelly Training Area (DTA) are distributed across an area between the Delta River and the Alaska Highway between 5 and 15 miles south of Delta Junction. The piles on the Gerstle River Training Area (GRTA) are located approximately 25 miles southeast of Delta Junction just south of the Alaska Highway.

The piles will be ignited when weather conditions are favorable and will minimize the impact of smoke on populated areas in accordance with open burn approvals issued by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC). The BLM AFS and USARAK area working with ADEC and the National Weather Service to monitor smoke conditions to ensure compliance with all local, state, and federal regulations governing air quality. 

For more information about the prescribed fire on Fort Wainwright lands, contact the BLM AFS dispatch in Fairbanks at (907)356-5555 or BLM AFS Public Affairs Specialist Beth Ipsen at eipsen@blm.gov or (907)356-5510. 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.