Alaska spans more than 660,000 square miles, yet only a small share of its communities connect by road. That geography shapes every fire station you will find here. Anchorage runs a career department with numbered battalions and stations. A village on the Kuskokwim may rely on a handful of trained volunteers and a few pieces of donated equipment. This page explains how fire protection is organized across the state, so you can work out which agency covers your address and how to reach it.

How Fire Protection Is Organized in Alaska

Alaska has no counties. Its regional governments are boroughs, and a large part of the state sits in the Unorganized Borough, which has no borough assembly. Our directory still groups listings under county-style names so you can browse by area. Some of those names, such as Bethel Census Area County and Nome (CA) County, come from Census Bureau statistical areas rather than local governments. Valdez-Cordova is a former census area that the Census Bureau split in two in 2019, though many address records still carry the old name.

Fire service itself is almost always local. A city may run its own department, as Ketchikan and Valdez do. A borough may create a fire service area and tax the property owners inside it to pay for trucks and crews. Elsewhere, a nonprofit volunteer corporation or a village council keeps the station going. The result is a patchwork, and your street address decides who responds.

The state sets the framework but rarely staffs the engines. The Division of Fire and Life Safety, part of the Alaska Department of Public Safety, houses the State Fire Marshal. That office adopts and enforces the state fire code, reviews plans for many commercial and public buildings, and investigates serious fires. The Alaska Fire Standards Council sets training and certification standards for firefighters. State fire protection law is found in Title 18, Chapter 70 of the Alaska Statutes.

Wildland fire runs on a separate track. The Division of Forestry and Fire Protection, part of the Department of Natural Resources, fights wildfires on state, municipal and private land within its protection areas. Federal agencies such as the Bureau of Land Management handle fires on federal land, and the Alaska Interagency Coordination Center in Fairbanks coordinates crews and aircraft statewide. The Division of Forestry's Northern Region office, the Fairbanks Area Office at 3700 Airport Way, is listed in our database at 907-451-2600.

Fire Departments in Southcentral Alaska: Anchorage, the Mat-Su Valley and the Kenai

Most Alaskans live in Southcentral, and this is where you will find the largest, best-equipped departments. In Anchorage Municipality County, the Anchorage Fire Department divides the city into battalions. Battalion 2, South Side Station 9, sits at 1148 Huffman Road and answers at 907-267-4936. Anchorage has more listings in our database than any other city in the state, so check the station name and address before you call or visit.

North of the city, the Matanuska-Susitna Borough County listings show a mix of city and rural service-area departments. Palmer Fire Department Station 34 is at 901 South Airport Road and can be reached at 907-745-3709. Big Lake Volunteer Fire Department Station 8-2 sits at 19165 West Penny Kay Lane, with a listed phone of 907-892-7750. Big Lake is a lakeside community with many seasonal cabins, so response needs there change between winter and summer.

South of Anchorage, the Kenai Peninsula County listings include several borough-supported emergency service areas. Nikiski Fire Department Station 2 is at 51849 Kenai Spur Highway (907-283-4202). Kachemak Emergency Services in Homer is at 53048 Ashwood Avenue (907-235-7980). Funny River Emergency Services is on Funny River Road near Soldotna (907-260-8448). Bear Creek Fire Department serves the Seward Highway corridor near Seward (907-224-3345). Many of these agencies combine fire, rescue and medical response, so one call can bring more than a fire engine.

Interior, Copper River Basin and Southeast Alaska Stations

Fairbanks, North Pole and Delta Junction

The Interior has cold winters and dry, hot early summers, which is a hard combination for fire crews. North Pole Fire Department is at 110 Lewis Street (907-488-0444). Farther southeast along the highway, Delta Junction Volunteer Fire Department lists a Delta Street address and the number 907-895-4443. Both communities depend on trained locals who balance station duty with full-time jobs.

The Copper River Basin

The Valdez-Cordova (CA) County listings cover a huge area of mountains, highways and small communities. Volunteer departments include Kenny Lake on the Edgerton Highway (907-822-3856), Gakona on the Glenn Highway at the Tok Cutoff (907-822-3030), Chitina on 1st Street (907-832-2215) and Lake Louise on Lake Louise Road (907-250-2098). On the coast, Valdez Fire Department Station 3 is on River Drive (907-835-2187). Distances between stations here can be long, and winter driving slows every response.

Ketchikan, Juneau and Petersburg

Southeast Alaska has no road system linking its communities, so each town needs self-contained protection. City of Ketchikan Fire Department is at 319 Main Street (907-225-9616). Juneau's Capital City Fire and Rescue Station 4 is at 11900 Glacier Highway (907-586-5322). Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department Station 1 is at 14 South Nordic Drive (907-772-3355). Gustavus Airport Fire Department, at 1 Airport Way (907-697-2251), shows that airports often run their own crews.

Rural and Remote Alaska: Village Crews, Airport Units and Industrial Brigades

Off the road system, fire protection changes character. In the Bethel Census Area County listings, Bethel is the regional hub, and many villages nearby maintain small volunteer departments. Kwigillingok Volunteer Fire Department is one example, listed at 907-588-8329. In Kusilvak, Pitkas Point Volunteer Fire Department uses the Pitka's Point Access Road address and lists 907-438-2833. Dillingham Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad, at 514 Main Street East, serves the Bristol Bay region at 907-842-2288.

Water supply is the biggest practical difference. Hydrants exist mainly in town cores. Elsewhere, crews haul water in tank trucks, draw from lakes or rivers, or work from stored supplies. Frozen ground and subzero temperatures complicate each of those options. If you build or buy outside a hydrant area, ask the local department how it would supply water to your property.

Some of the most unusual listings serve industry and the military. Greater Prudhoe Bay Fire Department Station 2, in the North Slope area, lists 907-659-5646. The Integrated Support Command Fire and Rescue in Kodiak, at 1315 Larch Street, serves the Coast Guard base there (907-487-5808). A Coast Guard fire listing near Nome, the Loran Station Port Clarence, is at 907-642-3844. These agencies may not take public fire calls, so confirm who covers your location before you rely on them.

Practical Steps for Reaching the Right Fire Department in Alaska

Start by working out who covers your address. A mailing address can differ from a fire service boundary, especially in Wasilla, Soldotna and the Copper River Basin. Your borough or city office can tell you which department and service area apply to your property.

Call before you drive to a station. Many rural buildings are locked, and members may be responding to a call or working elsewhere. Have your street address, nearest cross-road and a mile marker ready if you live along a highway. A clear location description saves minutes when you need help.

Fire departments across Alaska range from large career departments in major cities to volunteer departments serving small rural communities, all operating under state fire codes and local ordinances to protect residents from fire and emergency hazards.

Fire Departments locations are available in 175 cities across Alaska. They are spread across 26 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Anchorage, Fairbanks, Ketchikan, which have multiple fire stations strategically located to maintain rapid response times for their dense populations.

Residents of Alaska should know your local fire department's non-emergency phone number so you can request burn permits, safety inspections, and community programs without tying up the 911 emergency line.

Fire Departments by Counties

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Residents of Alaska planning any outdoor burning should contact their local fire department for open burning regulations and permit requirements, which can vary significantly by county and season due to drought conditions and fire danger ratings.

Browse Fire Departments by county across Alaska to find the nearest location.

Wildfire Season and Winter Fire Risks in Alaska

Alaska faces two distinct fire seasons. In summer, long daylight hours and dry spruce and tundra fuels can produce large wildfires, particularly in the Interior and Southcentral. The Swan Lake Fire on the Kenai Peninsula in 2019 showed how quickly smoke and evacuation notices can reach populated areas. Spruce killed by beetles on the Kenai adds to the fuel load. Local volunteer departments often work alongside state and federal crews during these events.

In winter, the main danger shifts indoors. Wood stoves, fuel-oil heaters, space heaters and chimneys that have not been cleaned cause many home fires. Cold also strains equipment, freezes water lines and delays response on icy roads. Fire departments in Fairbanks, the Mat-Su Valley and the Copper River Basin regularly urge residents to sweep chimneys, keep heaters clear of combustibles and test smoke alarms. Ask your local station about free smoke alarm programs. Many small departments run them.

If you live in a community with few roads, plan for slower help. Keep an escape route, a charged phone or radio, and a written address near every phone. In the Fairbanks North Star County area and beyond, neighbors are often the first responders, so know who nearby has a water tank or heavy equipment.

Fire Department Questions From Alaska Residents

No single agency runs every department. Cities, boroughs, service areas and volunteer corporations operate the stations. At the state level, the State Fire Marshal in the Division of Fire and Life Safety, part of the Department of Public Safety, enforces the fire code and reviews plans for many buildings. The Alaska Fire Standards Council sets firefighter training and certification standards. For wildfire, the Department of Natural Resources' Division of Forestry and Fire Protection leads on state, municipal and private land, while federal agencies handle federal land. Start with your local department for anything specific to your address.

In much of the state, yes, at least during fire season. The Division of Forestry and Fire Protection issues burn permits and can suspend open burning when conditions turn dry or windy. Some boroughs and cities, such as Anchorage, add their own rules or permit systems. Rules differ by region and change with the weather, so confirm before you light anything. For the Interior, you can call the Fairbanks Area Office of the Division of Forestry, listed in our database at 907-451-2600. Elsewhere, ask your local fire department which agency issues permits in your area. Never burn on a day when a suspension is in effect.

Alaska has boroughs instead of counties, and about half the state lies in the Unorganized Borough with no borough government. The Census Bureau divides that area into census areas for statistics. Our directory uses county-style labels for browsing, so you will see names like Bethel Census Area County, Nome (CA) County and Yukon-Koyukuk (CA) County. These labels do not tell you who provides fire service. A village inside a census area may have its own city or tribal fire department. Check the listed address and station name, and confirm coverage by phone.

Our database lists several volunteer departments near Glennallen and Copper Center. Gakona Volunteer Fire Department is at 24 Glenn Highway-Tok Cutoff, phone 907-822-3030. Kenny Lake Volunteer Fire Department, on the Edgerton Highway, lists 907-822-3856. Chitina Volunteer Fire Department, on 1st Street, lists 907-832-2215. Lake Louise Volunteer Fire Department lists 907-250-2098. Because these crews are volunteers, stations are rarely staffed during the day. For emergencies, dial 911. For burn advice, equipment questions or joining, call the listed number and leave a clear message with your name and location.

Contact the station closest to your home. Volunteer departments from Kwigillingok to Petersburg and Delta Junction depend on local members, and most welcome inquiries. Ask about minimum age, a driver's license, medical screening and background checks, since requirements vary by department. New members usually begin with in-house training and may later pursue certification under standards set by the Alaska Fire Standards Council. Some departments also recruit for emergency medical roles, which are in high demand in rural areas. Expect to attend regular training nights and to respond to calls at any hour, including in severe winter weather.

Some small or unincorporated places have no organized department, or a nearby one covers them informally. Ask your city office, tribal council or borough clerk who responds to fires at your address. If you live in an organized borough, ask whether a fire service area exists or could be formed. Residents sometimes do this by petition and vote. In the meantime, keep fire extinguishers, working smoke alarms and a water source in mind, and review the Division of Forestry's wildfire guidance for your area. Our directory covers 427 listings across 175 cities, so also check neighboring towns.