Legislature(2025 - 2026)BUTROVICH 205
04/28/2025 03:30 PM Senate RESOURCES
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Confirmation Hearing(s): Board of Fisheries | |
| Confirmation Hearing(s): State Assessment Review Board | |
| SJR18 | |
| HJR15 | |
| SB174 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 112 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SJR 18 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HJR 15 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 174 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SJR 18-WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS
4:19:01 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL announced the consideration of SENATE JOINT
RESOLUTION NO. 18 Urging the Governor, the Department of Natural
Resources, division of forestry and fire protection, the
Department of Public Safety, municipalities of the state and
relevant wildfire planning and response agencies, and the Alaska
delegation in Congress to prepare for the 2025 wildfire season.
4:19:47 PM
INTIMAYO HARBISON, Staff, Senator Cathy Giessel, Alaska State
Legislature, said he would give a short presentation on SJR 18
highlighting the fire risk in Anchorage compared to west coast
states and other areas in Alaska.
4:20:05 PM
MR. HARBISON advanced to slide 2 and briefly discussed the
January 2025 Palisades Fire in Los Angeles, California.
4:20:14 PM
MR. HARBISON advanced to slide 3, containing a California
Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) map with
the Palisades fire overlaid. He explained that the fire began in
a high-risk area and moved into a low-risk area, where it caused
severe devastation.
4:20:27 PM
MR. HARBISON advanced to slide 4, containing an August 12, 2024,
excerpt from the Salem Statesman's Journal titled, "Oregon
wildfires: Record for acres burned broken, Crater Lake closes
north entrance." He pointed out that, according to the article,
in 2024 Oregon broke its total fire burn record.
4:20:38 PM
MR. HARBISON advanced to slide 5, containing a map of the Harney
County Falls Fire (2024) in Oregon. He explained that this fire
moved from a high-risk area to a moderate-risk area.
4:20:45 PM
MR. HARBISON advanced to slide 6, containing a map of the Cow
Valley Fire/Durkee Fire, Oregon. He explained that this fire
moved from a moderate-risk area to a high-risk area, where it
burned out of control.
4:21:05 PM
MR. HARBISON advanced to slides 8-9. Slide 8 contains an excerpt
from an article titled, "Munson Creek Fire near Chena Hot
Springs still cooking with hot, dry weather." Slide 9 is a map
of the Munson Creek Fire, Fairbanks. He explained that this fire
began in a moderate-risk area and moved into a high-risk area,
causing structural damage and devastation to that region.
4:21:24 PM
MR. HARBISON advanced to slide 10, containing excerpts from
newspaper articles on the Swan Lake (2019) and Funny River
(2014) fires. He said that the Swan Lake fire burned more than
162,000 acres.
4:21:44 PM
MR. HARBISON advanced to slide 11, containing maps of the Swan
Lake (2019) and Funny River (2014) fires. He noted that both
fires (indicated in brown) began in low-risk areas and burned
out of control.
4:22:01 PM
MR. HARBISON advanced to slides 12 - 13. Slide 12 contains an
excerpt from an article titled, "McHugh fire now estimated at
842 acres." Slide 13 contains a map of the McHugh Creek Fire
(2016), Turnagain Arm. He explained that this fire burned in a
low-risk area. He noted that the fire burned for an extended
period because fire crews were unable to reach the location due
to difficulties navigating the terrain and high wind conditions.
4:22:33 PM
MR. HARBISON advanced to slide 15, containing the Anchorage Bowl
fire risk assessment map. He explained that the following slides
would zoom in on specific areas of this map.
4:22:45 PM
MR. HARBISON advanced to slide 16, containing the East
Anchorage/Hillside fire risk assessment map. He explained that
the dark brown indicates areas of extreme fire risk. Light brown
indicates high fire risk. He added that light green and dark
green indicate moderate and low risk, respectively.
4:22:03 PM
MR. HARBISON advanced to slide 17, containing the East
Anchorage/Hillside fire risk assessment map. He directed
attention to the red circle, which indicates an area located
near the Campbell Tract.
4:23:11 PM
MR. HARBISON advanced to slide 18 and discussed the Campbell
Tract Fires. He explained that there have been fires in the
Campbell Tract area in 2008, 2019, and 2022. He stated that
those fires had the potential to burn out of control. He briefly
directed attention to the map on the previous slide to
illustrate how the fires could have burned throughout the
Campbell Tract and up the hillside.
4:23:40 PM
MR. HARBISON advanced to slide 19, containing the East
Anchorage/Hillside fire risk assessment map, and discussed the
wildfire risk to schools, homes, and businesses. He pointed out
that Service High School and South High School are highlighted
on the map and noted that there are many homes and businesses in
between these two schools. This area is a mix of extreme, high,
and moderate fire risk. He recalled earlier slides and
emphasized that fires can spread between areas with different
fire risk levels; therefore, all of the area contained on the
map contains the potential for severe fire risk.
4:24:14 PM
MR. HARBISON advanced to slide 20, containing the Girdwood fire
risk assessment map. He stated that all of Girdwood is
considered high or extreme fire risk. He explained that Girdwood
relies on volunteer firefighters. In the event of a fire burning
out of control, a response unit from the Anchorage Fire
Department would take 45 minutes to arrive. He stated that such
a lengthy response time is not ideal.
4:24:49 PM
MR. HARBISON advanced to slide 21:
[Original punctuation provided.]
Conclusion
• This resolution highlights the need for focus on
wildfire education, mitigation, and preparation
in Alaska. This is to avoid large fires seen near
or in population centers in California, Oregon,
and other parts of Alaska from occurring in
Anchorage.
• Wildfires can move between high and low risk
areas particularly when those areas are adjacent
to one another.
• With increased wildfire education, mitigation,
and preparation Anchorage can avoid the fate of
other communities lost to fires in recent years.
4:25:53 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL noted that the maps and the modeling included in
the presentation came from the Institute for Social and Economic
Research at the University of Alaska.
4:26:00 PM
[CHAIR GIESSEL held SJR 18 in committee.]