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Prevention

Fire Prevention

Firewise

Firewise is a cooperative effort among local, state, federal and private agencies and organizations to promote fire safety in the wildland/urban interface. Firefighters do not have the resources to defend every home during a wildfire. With adequate preparation and planning, a house can withstand a wildland fire without the intervention of the fire service. In fact, a house and its surrounding community can be both Firewise and compatible with the area's ecosystem.

There are six elements to the Firewise program:

  • Firewise Homes
  • Firewise Landscaping
  • Emergency Water Supply
  • Access and Signs
  • Home Fire Safety
  • When Wildfire Threatens

For more information on making your home and property Firewise download this informative PDF.

Fire Safety

  • Before going hiking or camping, check with the forest, grassland or ranger district for fire restrictions or area closures.
  • Plan ahead and prepare — know your route and tell a responsible adult where you are going and when you plan to return.
  • Sign in at the trailhead.
  • Use alternatives to campfires during periods of high fire danger, even if there are no restrictions. Nine out of 10 fires are caused by humans.
  • If you do use a campfire, make sure it is fully extinguished before leaving the area — be sure it is cold to the touch.
  • If you are using a portable stove, make sure the area is clear of grasses and other debris that may catch fire. Make sure the stove is stable and won’t tip over.
  • Practice Leave No Trace principles — pack out cigarette butts and burned materials from your camping area.
  • Beware of sudden changes in the weather or changing weather conditions. For example, if you see a thunderstorm approaching, consider leaving the area. Fires started by lightning strikes are not unusual.
  • If you see smoke, fire, or suspicious activities, note the location as best you can and report it to authorities. Call 911.
  • Do NOT make contact with suspicious people or try to put out a large fire by yourself.
  • Be careful of parking or driving your car or ATV in tall, dry, vegetation, such as grass. The hot underside of the vehicle can start a fire.
  • Know Before You Go!

Campfire Info

Campfires make up more than 90% of the Chugach National Forest fires.  Do your part in prevention forest fires by Know Before You Go in to the woods.

Have brush from firewising your home? You can take it to three firewise pits:

  • Hope – at the Hope dump
  • Cooper Landing-Snug Harbor Road mile 6
  • Moose Pass-Mile 34, swing by the FS office in Moose Pass for a key

Always be prepared for a wildfire are you READY, SET, GO? 

The Chugach National Forest is part of an interagency Kenai Peninsula Wildfire Education Cooperative, check out the Facebook page for more wildfire education information.  

Contacts

Wildland Fire Prevention Officer 

Quintan Hecimovich
Moose Pass, Alaska
Quintan.hecimovich@usda.gov
907-288-7731

Links

www.wildlandfirersg.org
www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Fire-causes-and-risks/Wildfire/Firewise-U…
smokeybear.com/en
www.facebook.com/KPWildfireEd

wildfirerisk.org


 

Last updated March 20th, 2025

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