Outdoors/Adventure

Anchorage fireworks display canceled as burn bans lifted for much of Alaska

Citing recent rainfall and higher humidity that have decreased wildfire danger, the Alaska Division of Forestry on Tuesday lifted the ban on open burning for some parts of the state.

The decision comes at the end of a record month for wildfire extent in Alaska, beating the previous most-fiery June 2004. It also comes just a few days before the Fourth of July holiday, when many Alaskans move into the backcountry and campgrounds for weekend recreation.

The burn closure was lifted on state, private and municipal lands in the following areas, according to a release sent Tuesday: Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Kenai Peninsula Borough, Denali Borough, the Copper River Valley and the Tanana Valley, including Fairbanks.

It also includes the popular Fourth of July destination of Seward on the Kenai Peninsula, where Fire Chief Edward Athey issued a statement Tuesday saying that "campfires in designated rings and charcoal barbecues" are once again permitted, just in time for thousands of visitors arriving to watch the Mount Marathon race.

A burn closure remains in effect for the Municipality of Anchorage, though covered charcoal grills are now permitted, said Anchorage Fire Department spokesperson John See.

The Alaska Peninsula and Western Alaska, including "most of the area south and west of McGrath, as well as communities on the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers west of Tanana," remain under a burn ban, the Division of Forestry said.

The state's lifting of the burn closure means campfires and approved burn barrels are permitted on non-borough lands. But a prohibition on open debris burning remains in place in some regions where the closure has been rescinded.

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On Tuesday afternoon, Mat-Su Borough officials announced that a burn ban on public lands remained in effect, despite the state-level actions. That means all open fires -- which include campfires, bonfires and trash fires -- are banned on borough lands. Charcoal and propane grills are allowed.

The ban translates to no campfires in borough parks including Matanuska River Park, Talkeetna Lakes Park, Christiansen Lake Park, Lake Lorraine pullout and within the borough's Jim Creek Recreation Area. It also means no fires on borough land in the Jim Creek parking lot.

Borough officials said they chose to remain conservative in light of the Willow wildfire that burned across parts of 7,220 acres and destroyed dozens of homes and cabins.

Matanuska-Susitna Borough emergency officials say remote campfires are their biggest concern now that the state burn closure is off.

"Folks that are out there on the Little Su, rafting or canoeing, start a fire. That's the one thing I worry about," said Bill Gamble, the borough's emergency services director and chief of the West Lakes Fire Department. "They're hard to get to, and by the time you do get to them, they may be out of control."

Gamble urged people who are planning warming fires while camping to use extreme caution and make sure fires are completely out before leaving them unattended.

A fireworks-free Fourth of July

In addition to the lifting of the burn bans, the sale of fireworks is once again permitted for much of the state, though sales remain off limits in Western Alaska, according to a release Tuesday morning from the Alaska State Fire Marshal's office.

Using fireworks remains banned in some municipalities, including Anchorage and the Mat-Su Borough. In Fairbanks, a fireworks ban is also still in place, and "it definitely will be through the Fourth of July holiday," said Sallie Stuvek, public information officer with the borough.

In Anchorage, police are taking what they called a "zero-tolerance" approach to use of fireworks over the July Fourth weekend.

Additional officers will be patrolling Anchorage neighborhoods over the weekend in search of people violating a city law that bans possession, sale and use of fireworks, the Anchorage Police Department wrote Tuesday.

A holiday fireworks display that takes place every year at Anchorage's Mulcahy Stadium after a baseball doubleheader was called off Tuesday, according to a tweet from the Anchorage Bucs team.

John See with the Anchorage Fire Department confirmed that the fireworks display had been canceled.

"The fire chief has determined that fire danger is still at critical levels in parts of Anchorage, especially the Eagle River area and East Anchorage," See said.

Also "definitely" canceled is the Eagle River Lions Park fireworks display scheduled for Friday, See said.

"This is a very proactive move we're making on behalf of the public's safety," See said.

Fire officials in Mat-Su also reminded the public that though the state has lifted the prohibition on fireworks sales, their use remains illegal in much of the borough. Borough code enforcement officers will be patrolling during the weekend.

Robert Hall, who owns or manages five fireworks companies in Houston and North Pole, said he still isn't planning to open for the big holiday weekend.

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Borough and state officials and representatives from the City of Houston, where sales are usually legal, are meeting Wednesday and Thursday with Hall to talk about sales.

Hall said Tuesday he still doesn't expect to open. He's hearing that it will take a lot of rain to allay fire concerns. But, he added, there are other concerns as well: Just north of the Houston fireworks stands sits Willow, where the Sockeye fire destroyed 55 homes and residents are just starting the grinding process of rebuilding. Several Houston firefighters are also working on wildland fires to the north, so local staffing is lighter than usual.

"It doesn't look good," Hall said of the chance his stands will open.

The state's easing of restrictions has some residents on edge, especially in Willow.

"This is crazy," said Lisa DeLong, who lives in the Shirley Lake area that was within the Sockeye fire zone. "I never want to hamper anybody's business but this is not a normal situation. We're not talking doughnuts here. We're talking people's homes and lives here."

Every year, DeLong said, weekenders with cabins in the area come up from places outside Willow over the Fourth of July and set off fireworks. The ban, she said, was a relief -- until now.

Residents will be extra-vigilant about reporting fireworks and other burn violations, DeLong said.

"I know I will. I'm pretty sure the ones around the corner whose property got hit by the flames, I'm sure we all will be."

Laurel Andrews

Laurel Andrews was a reporter for the Anchorage Daily News, Alaska Dispatch News and Alaska Dispatch. She left the ADN in October 2018.

Zaz Hollander

Zaz Hollander is a veteran journalist based in the Mat-Su and is currently an ADN local news editor and reporter. She covers breaking news, the Mat-Su region, aviation and general assignments. Contact her at zhollander@adn.com.

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