(FAIRBANKS, Alaska) –The Bureau of Land Management Alaska Fire Service (BLM AFS), in cooperation with the U.S. Army Alaska (USARAK), will be burning piles of woody debris on the Donnelly Training Area south of Delta Junction and the Gerstle River Training Area southeast of Delta Junction. Burning operations may start as early as Friday, Oct. 26 and may continue, as conditions allow, until Nov. 18.
The piles targeted for burning on the Donnelly Training Area (DTA) are distributed across an area between the Delta River and the Alaska Highway between 5 and 15 miles south of Delta Junction. The piles on the Gerstle River Training Area (GRTA) are located approximately 25 miles southeast of Delta Junction just south of the Alaska Highway.
The piles will be ignited when weather conditions are favorable and will minimize the impact of smoke on populated areas in accordance with open burn approvals issued by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC). The BLM AFS and USARAK area working with ADEC and the National Weather Service to monitor smoke conditions to ensure compliance with all local, state, and federal regulations governing air quality.