Live fire restrictions & Red Flag Warnings · National Weather Service
🔴 Red Flag Warning
Critical fire weather — extreme danger, high winds, low humidity. Burning is typically banned statewide and by county.
🟠 Fire Weather Watch
Dangerous conditions developing within 24–72 hrs. Monitor for upgrade to Red Flag Warning and imminent restrictions.
⚠️ County bans may differ
Alaska county burn bans and USFS Stage 1–3 restrictions are separate — always confirm with your local fire authority.
Checking Alaska fire-weather alerts…
The NWS map above shows fire-weather alerts — for the legally binding burn ban status, go directly to the official Alaska source:
Alaska Division of ForestryBurn permits & suspensionsOpen official source ↗Also check your county government website — a county burn ban can be in effect even when Alaska has no statewide restriction.
🚫 Prohibited
✓ Usually Still Allowed
Always confirm with the issuing agency — specific orders vary.
County burn bans in Alaska are issued separately from state-level restrictions — a county can be under a burn ban even when the rest of the state is not. County commissioners, the county fire marshal, or the county judge typically issue these orders, and they are not reflected in NWS alerts shown on the map above.
The Alaska DNR Division of Forestry & Fire Protection publishes real-time burn permit suspension and closure status for all 13 fire prevention areas (Copper River, Delta, Fairbanks, Haines, Kenai-Kodiak, Mat-Su, Southwest, Tok, Galena, Tanana, Upper Yukon, Chugach NF, Tongass NF). Each area page shows current fire danger rating, which zones are open or suspended, and provides online permit applications. Additional statewide restriction information is also published by the Alaska Wildland Fire Coordinating Group at akfireinfo.com.
Alaska Burn Permit & Restriction Status — AK Division of Forestry & Fire ProtectionView county map ↗Federal land managers use a tiered system that escalates as fire danger increases. Stage restrictions apply only to the land they are issued for — your county may have a separate burn ban on private land.
Open burning prohibited. Campfires may still be allowed in designated fire rings at developed campgrounds. Portable gas and pressurized-liquid stoves are typically allowed in cleared areas.
All open fires prohibited — including campfires in developed campgrounds. Gas stoves may be allowed in cleared areas. Chainsaw use and motorized off-road vehicles restricted.
Maximum restriction before full closure. All fires may be prohibited. Motorized vehicle use off designated roads, shooting, and spark-producing tools are typically banned.
State or county-level complete ban on all open burning — campfires, burn barrels, brush and agricultural burning. Gas and propane grills for cooking are usually still allowed.
Area is fully closed — no public access or fire-related activity of any kind is permitted.
Typically equivalent to Stage 1. Open burning prohibited; campfires in developed campgrounds may still be allowed. Common on BLM land in NV, OR, and ID.
Agency-specific restriction with unique terms. Always read the specific order from the issuing land management office — scope varies significantly.
Oregon ODF Industrial Fire Precaution Level — applies to industrial operations (logging, equipment) on ODF-protected state and private forestland. IFPL I is the lowest level; IFPL IV is the most restrictive. Separate from USFS campfire restrictions.
Restriction scope and exact prohibitions vary by agency and order. Always confirm with the issuing land management office or visit the official source linked above.
Burn permits are required statewide from April 1 through August 31 each year. Small-scale permits (burn barrels, lawns under 1 acre, small brush piles) and large-scale permits (wooded debris, agricultural, land-clearing) are issued by the DNR Division of Forestry & Fire Protection through area-specific online forms for free. Campfires under 3 feet in diameter do not require a permit. Permits are suspended during high fire danger periods and rescinded during Emergency Burn Closures.
Get Alaska burning permit ↗Or call the Alaska forestry hotline: (907) 269-8400
Alaska's fire season peaks sharply in June and July, when nearly 24 hours of daylight rapidly desiccates the boreal forest and tundra of the interior, and dry lightning storms from the Alaska Range to the Brooks Range can ignite dozens of simultaneous fires in a single day. Lightning causes approximately 83% of acreage burned, with the vast majority concentrated in interior Alaska between the Alaska and Brooks mountain ranges. On average, one million acres burn statewide per year, and burn permit suspensions and closures in the Fairbanks, Mat-Su, Delta, Tok, and Upper Yukon fire prevention areas are common from late May through mid-August.
Statewide or regional burn bans and open-burning suspensions on state and private land.
County-wide burn bans — the level that most often affects homeowners and is easy to miss.
Stage 1–3 fire restrictions and closures on national forests, parks, and other federal land.
Municipal open-burning rules, fireworks bans, and local red-flag restrictions.
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The live map and status strip above show active Red Flag Warnings and Fire Weather Watches from the National Weather Service for Alaska. For the legally binding answer, check the official Alaska source: Alaska Division of Forestry at https://dnr.alaska.gov/burn/. Also confirm with your county — a county burn ban can be in effect even when no statewide restriction exists.
During an active burn ban, Alaska prohibits: All open burning, burn barrels, lawn burns, and debris pile burns during a Burn Permit Suspension; All open burning including campfires during an Emergency Burn Closure; Smoking in designated areas during a Burn Closure; Use of charcoal grills and other devices that set fire to other fuels during a Burn Closure; Burning asphalts, rubber, plastics, tars, oils, and petroleum-based products at any time; Burning treated wood, cardboard, and putrescible garbage at any time; Any open burning from April 1 – August 31 without a valid DNR burn permit (small- or large-scale); Setting a fire on forested land without consent of the owner or lawful occupant (AS 41.15.100). Typically still allowed: Continuously attended campfires under 3 feet in diameter and 2 feet tall using only paper and untreated wood — no permit required; Gas grills, propane camp stoves, and devices with an immediate on/off switch that do not ignite surrounding fuels — allowed even during Burn Closures; Small-scale burns (burn barrels, lawns under 1 acre, brush piles under 10 ft diameter by 4 ft height) with a valid DNR permit during non-suspension periods; Large-scale burns (agricultural, land-clearing, logging debris) with a valid DNR large-scale permit during non-suspension periods. Always verify the specific order with Alaska Division of Forestry — prohibited activities can vary by jurisdiction and restriction level.
Gas and propane grills used for cooking on private residential property are typically allowed during a Alaska burn ban. Charcoal grills may be permitted in calm conditions but check the specific order. Wood-fired grills, outdoor fire pits, and campfires are usually prohibited. Always verify with Alaska Division of Forestry before lighting anything.
Multiple authorities can issue burn bans in Alaska independently: Alaska Division of Forestry for statewide or regional orders; Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection (DNR) — issues burn permit suspensions and Emergency Burn Closures by fire prevention area. Alaska uses Boroughs (not counties); organized boroughs may adopt additional local restrictions, but state-level bans are managed by DNR area offices. for county-wide bans that affect most homeowners; federal land managers (U.S. Forest Service, BLM, NPS) for Stage 1–3 restrictions on federal land; and cities or local fire districts for additional local rules. A county burn ban can be active even with no statewide restriction — always check both.
Burn bans in Alaska have no fixed duration — they are issued when fire danger is high and lifted when conditions improve, which can happen overnight or persist for weeks during drought. Red Flag Warnings from the NWS typically last 24–48 hours. State and county burn bans are lifted separately. Check the issuing agency daily during dry, windy conditions.
Alaska's fire season peaks sharply in June and July, when nearly 24 hours of daylight rapidly desiccates the boreal forest and tundra of the interior, and dry lightning storms from the Alaska Range to the Brooks Range can ignite dozens of simultaneous fires in a single day. Lightning causes approximately 83% of acreage burned, with the vast majority concentrated in interior Alaska between the Alaska and Brooks mountain ranges. On average, one million acres burn statewide per year, and burn permit suspensions and closures in the Fairbanks, Mat-Su, Delta, Tok, and Upper Yukon fire prevention areas are common from late May through mid-August.
Burn permits are required statewide from April 1 through August 31 each year. Small-scale permits (burn barrels, lawns under 1 acre, small brush piles) and large-scale permits (wooded debris, agricultural, land-clearing) are issued by the DNR Division of Forestry & Fire Protection through area-specific online forms for free. Campfires under 3 feet in diameter do not require a permit. Permits are suspended during high fire danger periods and rescinded during Emergency Burn Closures.
Violating a Alaska burn ban can result in: Knowingly violating AS 41.15.040–41.15.130 (burn permit statutes): Class A misdemeanor, up to 1 year imprisonment and fine up to $25,000 (AS 12.55.135); Violation without culpable mental state: civil violation, fine up to $5,000; Burning without a permit or violating permit conditions: misdemeanor under AS 41.15; Failure to fully extinguish a fire in or near forested land (AS 41.15.090): misdemeanor; Criminally negligent burning causing damage: felony charges possible under separate arson statutes.
Sign up for free FireRisk.ai fire alerts below — we'll notify you when the NWS issues a Red Flag Warning for your area of Alaska. For county burn ban alerts, register with your county emergency management system (Nixle, Everbridge, or your county's sign-up page). Monitor Alaska Division of Forestry at https://dnr.alaska.gov/burn/ for statewide orders.
FireRisk.ai aggregates live fire-weather alerts from the National Weather Service and links to official Alaska agency sources. Burn ban status changes daily — always confirm with the official source and your county before any outdoor burning. This page is for awareness only and is not an official or legal notice. For fire emergencies call 911.
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