Activities to be performed: anchorage, alaska has one of the highest wildfire risk profiles in the U.S. This project will establish three shaded fuel breaks totaling approximately 49 acres in…

The Municipality of Anchorage received $385,000 under a Cooperative Agreement awarded September 24, 2025, by the Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management (BLM) through the BLM Fuels Management and Community Fire Assistance Program (CFDA 15.228). The award funds hazardous fuels reduction activities in Anchorage, Alaska, which has one of the highest wildfire risk profiles in the United States. The project establishes three shaded fuel breaks totaling approximately 49 acres within high-risk wildland-urban interface zones adjacent to densely populated neighborhoods, recreation trails, and critical infrastructure.

Treatment activities include mechanical thinning, hand cutting, ladder fuel removal, and biomass chipping or hauling conducted on municipal and state lands bordering 730 acres of BLM-managed lands and portions of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. Fieldwork is scheduled for the third quarter of 2026 and second-third quarters of 2027. Deliverables include completion of approximately 49 treated acres, Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping, treatment logs, photo documentation, and monitoring plots. The project protects over 35,000 homes and property valued at approximately $3.9 billion ($2.9 billion residential), with coordination provided by the Anchorage Fire Department's Wildfire Division in partnership with the BLM Anchorage Field Office, Alaska Division of Forestry Fire Protection, Anchorage Parks and Recreation, and Alaska Department of Fish and Game. The award extends through September 24, 2028.

Activities to be performed: anchorage, alaska has one of the highest wildfire risk profiles in the U.S. This project will establish three shaded fuel breaks totaling approximately 49 acres in high-risk wildland-urban interface (WUI) zones. These corridors, prioritized in the updated anchorage community wildfire protection plan (cwpp) expected in Q4 2025, LIE adjacent to densely populated neighborhoods, recreation trails, and vital infrastructure. AFD wildfire division chief glover led the development of anchorages comprehensive hazardous fuels mitigation strategy. With over two decades of wildland fire experienceincluding service as a U.S. Forest service hotshot superintendent and incident commander with the alaska division of forestry his leadership ensured the strategy is grounded in suppression tactics, fire behavior, and interagency coordination. The project s primary purpose is to reduce wildfire risk, enhance emergency access, and protect over 35,000 homes, critical infrastructure, BLM-managed lands, and valued parklands. Treatments will include mechanical thinning, hand cutting, ladder fuel removal, and biomass chipping or hauling. Work will be conducted on municipal and state lands that border 730 acres of BLM-managed lands and parts of joint base elmendorf-richardson (JBER). AFD wildfire division will manage permitting, compliance, and stakeholder coordination. Partners include BLM anchorage field office, alaska division of forestry fire protection (DOF), anchorage parks recreation, alaska department of fish and game (ADF g), community councils, and local officials. Fieldwork is scheduled for Q3 2026 and Q2Q3 2027. All GIS data, treatment logs, photo records, and monitoring plots will be maintained for accountability and adaptive management.expected deliverables approximately 49 acres treated across three priority fuel breaks GIS mapping, treatment logs, photo documentation protection of property valued at over $3.9 billion ($2.9B residential, $1B commercial) enhanced safety for hundreds of daily trail users protection of 730 acres of BLM land and portions of jbers 85,000 acres reduced fire intensity, improved defensibility, and safer responder access post-treatment monitoring and baseline vegetation data final report detailing accomplishments, compliance, and outcomes expanded public awareness and private mitigation through education and outreach intended beneficiaries more than 35,000 residents in high-risk areas, especially those with limited evacuation access, will directly benefit. Emergency responders will gain safer ingress and tactical advantage. Recreation users, critical infrastructure, and federal propertiesincluding BLM and JBER landswill see enhanced protection. The project also safeguards nationally important assets such as alaskas primary hospitals and military installations.