Kenai-Kodiak Area Permits

Special Notice

You must call-in to activate your burn permit.  Ensure that there is a firebreak around the burn pile and water on site.  Don't leave it burning, okay?  The FireWise theme for Fall is Thin & Limb or Cut &Cover.  Plan your FireWise landscape.  Visit www.firewisekp.com or call 260-4262 to sign up for a free home site risk assessment.

Quick Links

• Local Area Information
• Burn Permits
• Burn Barrels
• Contact Us
• Activate an existing permit
• Print an existing permit
• NWS Fire Weather

Local Area Information

Fire Danger on the Kenai and Kodiak

Many wildfires in the Kenai-Kodiak area occur in spring as melting snow exposes dry grass. Cured grass becomes easily ignitable after 1 hour of drying by sun and wind. Grass fires spread extremely fast and can produce flame lengths up to 10 feet high. Fire potential remains high until late summer when rainfall amounts increase. Existing fuel types of beetle kill and live spruce, brush, grass, and slash, when combined with dry weather, create the conditions for extreme fire behavior.

Most wildfires in South Central Alaska are caused by human activity. Anyone starting a fire, any time of year, is responsible for that fire until it is out. Alaska law mandates that the ground must be cleared around a fire and a person must not leave the fire before it is extinguished. It is preferable to conduct burning in late summer, fall, and winter. If piles are burned in the winter utilizing snow for a firebreak, the piles must be checked as the snow goes out in the spring to make sure they are out. Open them to air and clear the ground around them to mineral soil. During fire season, it is vital that individuals are aware of the weather conditions affecting the fire danger and are fully prepared before lighting a fire.

NOTE: Alaska Statutes governing open burning apply to all state, private, and municipal lands, even if a burn permit is not required. For more information, contact the Division of Forestry at 260-4260.

Alaska Statutes (AS 41.15) - Protection of Forested Lands

Suspension? or Closure?

Suspension - Burn permits and burn barrel use are temporarily not allowed due to fire danger or hazardous weather conditions as determined by the Department of Natural Resources.

Closure - The setting of all fires, burning, entry, or other use of land is prohibited within a designated area or statewide, as determined by the Commissioner of Natural Resources. Requires public notice to establish and rescind.

Please read and understand all the information on this page before applying for a burn permit. Contact us if you have any questions or concerns about burning in Alaska.

Back to Top

Burn Permits

Division of Forestry burning permits are required for most areas from April 1 to August 31 for all open burning except fires for cooking, warming, or signaling and burn barrels that have been set up to approved standards. Permits may be required in September if fire season is extended due to dry weather conditions.

Municipal Permits: Municipal authorities may have additional regulations regarding burning. The cities of Kenai (283-7666), Homer (235-3155), Seward (224-3445), and Kodiak (486-8040) issue their own city permits which are required year-round. If you intend to burn in an incorporated city, please contact the local fire department regarding permit requirements before doing any burns.

Outside of Permit Areas: Individuals who are burning in areas where burning permits are not required are encouraged to make a courtesy notification to their local emergency dispatch center to avoid fire dispatch to their controlled burn. For example, residents in Cooper Landing may notify Soldotna Communications Center at 262-4453, and persons burning across Kachemak Bay from Homer may call Homer Dispatch Center at 235-3150.

Forestry permits are required for all other areas on the western Kenai Peninsula. Forestry permits for hand-fed piles less than 10 ft. in diameter and lawn burns of mown grass which are less than one acre in size may be acquired online or over the counter. Nikiski Fire Department also issues Forestry permits for the Nikiski Fire Service area. Small-pile burn permits may be issued for up to three years and are activated by calling in on the day of the burn to the phone number listed on the permit.

Before you activate your permit, check the weather conditions and forecast. Do not plan to burn during dry, windy conditions. The Division of Forestry will institute a burning suspension during high fire danger periods, however, when burning is allowed, the permittee is responsible for evaluating the wind conditions at his/her site prior to or during burning. If you are burning and the wind comes up, put out the fire immediately.

For piles greater than 10 ft. in diameter or lawn burns one acre or larger, contact Kenai-Kodiak Area Office to schedule an inspection.

You Are Required to Call In

Receiving a permit does not give you permission to burn. You must call the number listed on the permit or activate your permit on-line each day you plan to burn to check on the status of burn restrictions and to record the burn in the daily burn log.

Important: You must have the permit in your possession at all times when burning. All open burning is subject to spot inspection by the Division of Forestry.

When burning debris outside of fire season, State laws and regulations pertaining to burning practices remain in effect, including clearing the ground around burns and remaining in attendance of fires until they are completely extinguished.

Regulations and Responsibilities for burning permits: Permits are issued under the authority of AS 41.15.050 and AS 41.15.060 of the Public Resources Statues governing the establishment of fire seasons and regulations of burning permits. Permits may be modified, suspended, or revoked at any time.

Permittees agree to hold the state harmless from any claim or damage caused by negligent acts or omissions of permittee, his/her employee, or his/her agent, arising during or as a result of activities covered by the permit.

Willful or negligent disregard of the terms of the permit constitutes an illegal act and makes you criminally liable. The permit does not relieve the permittee from responsibility for fire damage.

Permitees must be at least 18 years old.

Application Process

If you are unable to complete the application online or need a permit when you do not have access to a computer, call the Kenai-Kodiak Area Office at 260-4260.

Applications for permits can be completed online using most web browsers. This application uses web browser cookies and javascript. You most have these items enabled in your web browser in order to apply for a permit online.

If you are unable to complete the application online or need a permit when you do not have access to a computer, call your local Division of Forestry Office or your local fire department.

Important: You must have the permit in your possession at all times when burning.

Back to Top

Burn Barrels

Burn Barrel Specficiations

If a burn barrel does not meet the Burn Barrel Specifications, you must get a burn permit for burning in the barrel, and then follow the terms on the permit. If the barrel is set up according to the specifications, a permit is not required. Please note: The barrel must be located in an area cleared of vegetation and covered with a metal mesh screen.

Forestry recommends lighting no fires during periods of dry and windy weather. Burn barrels may be subject to further restrictions within city limits and are not allowed in the City of Kenai. Call your local fire department for more information.

New! All burn barrels are subject to local burn suspensions as well as restrictions and closures. Penalities may apply for unsafe burning.

All burn barrels are subject to spot inspection by Division of Forestry Area Prevention staff or their representatives.

Use of an approved burn barrel does not relieve the individual of responsibility should the fire escape as a result of negligence. Anyone starting a fire is responsible for that fire until it is completely out.

Back to Top

Closures

During times of extreme fire danger, the State Forester may close an area to burning. During the closure, no burning is allowed.

Burn closures may be in effect for any of the following reasons:

• High to extreme fire danger
• Low resource availability
• Red flag watch or warning

Local areas of the Division of Forestry may also temporarily suspend permitted open burning. During a permit suspension, it is still legal to have an attended campfire that is located in an area free from vegetation and kept small. However, Forestry recommends that you to refrain from lighting any open fire until changing weather conditions have reduced the fire danger.

You may call the activation phone number listed on your permit or refer to the SPECIAL NOTICES box at the top of this page for more information about current fire danger and activity.

FIREWISE - Protecting Your Home from Wildfire

The Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) is commonly described as the zone where structures and other features of human development meet and intermix with undeveloped wildland or vegetative fuels. Wildland fire within the WUI is one of the most dangerous and complicated situations firefighters and residents face due the threat to lives and property and the amount of hazardous materials located in populated areas. Property owners are encouraged to take steps to reduce the risk of loss to wildland fire. Some of these techniques include:

• Conducting a Wildland risk assessment of the property;
• Enclosing openings on structures that could allow entry of burning embers;
• Removing flammable materials from on and adjacent to structures;
• Reducing the amount of tall grass and spruce trees in the areas surrounding structures;
• Fragmenting or breaking up continuous wildland fuels that can �wick' fire to buildings;
• Practicing fire safety to prevent wildfire occurrence.
• Developing and practicing an emergency evacuation plan.

Due to limited numbers of apparatus, wildland firefighting agencies and local fire departments cannot always adequately protect the growing number of structures in the WUI. It is therefore critical that landowners assume responsibility for developing their properties to reduce the risk posed by wildland fires. Ultimately, the goal is for the home and nearby structures to withstand a wildfire without the intervention of firefighting agencies.

Fire Risk Rating for Homes in the Wildland

Firewise Alaska Booklet (PDF)

For more information, visit the national FireWise website

* HOMES WON'T BURN IF HOMES DON'T IGNITE *

Back to Top

Contact Us

Back to Top