Railbelt and Delta burn permits suspended Tuesday amid high winds

The Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection suspended burn permits Tuesday for the Railbelt Zone of the Fairbanks Area and both the East and West zones of the Delta Area, citing high winds that fire managers say make any escaped ember a serious ignition risk.

The suspension runs through midnight Tuesday. The National Weather Service forecasts high winds to continue until 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 15, meaning fire danger will remain elevated well after the permit suspension formally lifts.

What is prohibited

Debris pile burning, lawn burning, and burn barrel use are all prohibited under the suspension. Cooking and warming fires remain allowed, but the division warned that "extreme caution is required due to high wildfire potential if an ember escapes or a fire is left unattended or not completely put out."

State law requires a burn permit for any open burning on state, private, or municipal land from April 1 through Aug. 31. That covers burn barrels, brush piles, agricultural burning, and maintained lawns. Burn permits are not required for camping, cooking, or warming fires less than three feet in diameter with flame lengths less than two feet high, though the division advises against even those on windy days.

Permit status and context

Debris burning and burn barrel use remain prohibited for the duration of the suspension. The division has issued similar suspensions across Interior Alaska multiple times this fire season as dry and windy conditions have recurred.

To check current permit status as conditions change, call the DFFP permit hotline, the Delta office at (907) 895-5483, or the Fairbanks office at (907) 451-2631. Permit information is also available at dnr.alaska.gov/burn.