Prescribed burn planned this weekend on Fort Greely

Given favorable weather conditions, the BLM Alaska Fire Service (AFS) plans to conduct a prescribed fire on the Fort Greely military reservation this weekend. The burn is planned for Oklahoma Range in the Donnelly training area, which is 25 miles west of Delta Junction.

According the AFS News Release 2006-09 [released May 24, 2006], "The goal of the prescribed fire is to reduce the possibility that an ignition sustained during military training exercises might escape outside the impact area boundary.

Approximately 5,000 acres will be burned through aerial ignition and the expected duration of the project is two days."

It is planned that smoke from the fire will drift away. The news release states the fire will only be ignited, "… when conditions are such that the majority of the smoke will drift away from population centers located near the burn areas. Smoke plumes may be visible for miles and may persist in the area for several days depending on weather conditions."

For more information about the prescribed fire, refer to BLM Alaska Fire Service website (under "Fire Management/Planning").