Assembly Approves Study of Wildfire Service Area for High-Risk Zones

The Anchorage Assembly voted to direct the administration to study creating a wildfire interface service area that would provide dedicated funding for fire protection in high-risk zones where development meets wildland.

The resolution asks the administration to evaluate whether a new service area funded through property tax levies on affected properties could support long-term wildfire risk mitigation in areas identified on the municipality's wildfire interface maps.

Assembly Member George Martinez, who introduced the measure, said the resolution calls for exploration of what it would mean to develop a service area that identifies wildfire interface areas as potential zones for dedicated wildfire resources and services.

"At this point, it really is a resolution calling for the exploration of feasibility and looking at whether or not that even makes sense considering the cost of the danger in these interface zones," Martinez said.

Assembly Member Daniel Johnson clarified the resolution does not create a service area or commit the body to doing so. It asks the administration to investigate feasibility and mechanisms for how such an area could work.

"We know the big fire is coming. I do not know if it is this year, next year, or when, but we know it is an eventuality for this city," Johnson said. "When that moment comes, we will all be asking ourselves if we did everything we could to be prepared to protect our neighbors and our homes from that risk."

Johnson acknowledged the proposal raises complex questions about how to define service area boundaries, determine appropriate levy amounts, and whether costs should be based on risk levels or spread across the municipality.

"Given both the threat of the wildfire hazard and also the fiscal constraints we are facing, I think it merits consideration," Johnson said.

Assembly Member Anna Brawley requested the analysis also consider an area-wide approach covering the entire municipality in addition to examining different service area models.

Assembly Chair Chris Constant noted wildfire risk is an area-wide concern because if the tax base burns, the city faces bankruptcy.

The resolution now goes to the administration for the feasibility study. No timeline was specified for when the analysis would return to the Assembly.