Let’s keep Alaska from suffering Australia’s wildfire fate

Wildfire prevention and water conservation are among the last topics I ever thought I’d write about. In decades of living in Anchorage, I’ve never needed to think about wildfire prevention, other than ensuring my firewood wasn’t leaning against my house. And we’ve had so much snow and so many glaciers that conserving water was the last thing on my mind. I’m only writing about them now because I love this city and want it to survive and thrive. And I’m afraid.

Last summer scared the living daylights out of me. I’ve never before seen a wildfire inside the city limits. Never had to stay inside to avoid smoke. Never seen so many fires raging so close to Anchorage. Never had to consider evacuating because a wildfire passed close to my house.

If you live here, you know how distressing those things were. You also know that last summer was incredibly hard on our trees. Many birch trees were profoundly stressed by our — first-ever — drought. In fall, their leaves didn’t turn bright yellow; instead, they just browned and wilted. And the drought-supported beetle infestation killed many spruce trees. Along the bike trails, maybe one in 10 now stands dead.

People are rightly grieving these generous companions that give us everything from shade to oxygen to homes for birds. But we also need to realize the danger we’re in. For the first time, our town is a sitting duck for wildfire. We need to act quickly to prevent disaster. One cigarette or lightning strike could change our world forever. We need to catch up to the new realities around us, and the terrifying warning signs provided by equally unprepared places like Australia.

In a typical Alaska summer, some 500,000 acres go up in flames. Last year saw roughly 2.5 million acres burn, and thousands of Outside firefighters joining local crews to try to control the damage. Last year’s wildfires alone cost more than $300 million. The Swan Lake Fire between Cooper Landing and Sterling went underground and is expected to reappear next summer, when high temperatures and dry vegetation could allow its buried heat to rage anew. We need to revisit the strategy for addressing that fire and make necessary changes. Meanwhile, Anchorage homeowners, the municipality and the state need to prioritize cutting down dead trees and planting new spruce. Residents need to move flammable material at least 30 feet away from homes and sheds. The municipality needs to hire an urban forester and create a fire response plan — similar to its earthquake preparedness plans — and make sure all residents know what it involves. Given the budget situation, citizens may need to push assembly members to give the municipality adequate resources to prepare for these threats. Community councils are working with the Anchorage Fire Department’s wildfire mitigation section to promote fire prevention practices, including addressing road issues to ensure that people can escape from fires. Contact your council to learn more and check out these helpful fire prevention steps.

We also need to practice smart watering procedures. Don’t water trees and lawns in the middle of the day; more than half the water evaporates. Turn off the faucet rather than letting it run. Use water for multiple purposes — e.g., to wash dishes and water indoor plants. In the longer term, we need to think about Anchorage’s aquifer, the health and longevity of Eklutna Glacier (the city’s water supply), rain catchment systems, and other ways to support our trees, wildlife and ecosystems. Let’s act now to protect our homes, wildlife, and community so we are spared Australia’s fate.

Libby Roderick is director of the Difficult Dialogues Initiative at the University of Alaska Anchorage and an internationally recognized singer/songwriter and recording artist. She asks interested readers to join her at a free community forum about wildfire prevention: 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m. Thursday, March 5, at the UAA/APU Consortium Library, Room 307.

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