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Firewise & Wildfire Assistance Programs

On this page, you will find information about FirewiseWood Lots, Sprinkler Kits​, and the 2027 C​urbside Chipping Program


Sprinkler Kits

The Wildfire Division was awarded grant funding to purchase and distribute more than 2,000 wildfire sprinkler kits to eligible residents who live in Community Wildfire Protection Plan Suppression Planning Units rated as having extreme, very high, or high wildfire hazard rating (click he​re​ to view the map) and are registered with Smart911.  

Request a Kit: Sprinkler kit pickup opportunities are currently limited to eligible residents who have submitted a request form.

Click here to submit a request

​Those on the request list will be notified by email as pickup opportunities become available. Individual appointments and pickups outside scheduled distribution windows are not available. 

Sprinkler kits are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Submitting ​a request does not guarantee availability; it simply ensures you will be notified if additional pickup opportunities are offered. 


​Sprinkler Kit Guide: Want to build your own sprinkler kit or expand one you received from us? The components are available at many home improvement stores. Check out our Sprinkler Kit Guide​ for recommended components and step-by-step instructions for assembling and deploying your kit.


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2027 Curbside Chipping Program

You told us that disposing of trees, limbs, and other woody debris can be a major barrier to creating defensible space. You also told us that spring is when much of this work gets done. We heard you and secured grant funding to help address that need. ​

Registration is now open for the AFD Wildfire Division's grant-funded Curbside Chipping Program. This one-time program will occur in 2027, helping eligible residents dispose of woody debris generated while creating defensible space around their homes. 

Chipping services were originally anticipated to begin in 2026. Rather than compress this new, one-time program into a short late-season window, we are using the additional time to prepare for a more organized and efficient launch in 2027.

Who is eligible?
Per grant requirements, resi​dents must meet both of the following criteria: 

1. Reside in a Community Wildfire Protection Plan Suppression Planning Unit rated extremevery high, or high wildfire hazard; and
2. Participate in the Firewise program by:
  • Having a Firewise assessment on file with AFD that is less than 5 years old,
  • Submitting a self-assessment, or
  • Registering for a Firewise assessment.
Ready to participate?
​Eligible residents must submit their commitment to participate by October 1, 2026​.

Click here to confirm your eligibility and submit a commitment to participate.


What to Expect 

Participating residents will prepare woody debr​is generated while creating defensible space for chipping and removal.

Pile specifications:

  • Maximum pile size: approximately 10 ft × 10 ft × 4 ft
  • Material should be no more than 8 feet long
  • Material should be no more than 16 inches in diameter
  • Piles must be placed at the end of the driveway or another location accessible from the roadway

Accepted materials include:

  • Trees and limbs
  • Branches
  • Brush and other woody vegetation generated through defensible-space work

Materials such as grass clippings, leaves, stumps, root balls, rocks, soil, construction debris, trash, and other non-woody material cannot be accepted.

You will be notified at least two weeks before your scheduled chipping period, giving you time to complete your work and prepare your pile. Please wait until you receive your scheduling notification before placing material at the roadside.

 ​Final program details are subject to change pending grant requirements and contractor capabilities.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Wood Lots

Wood lots are open for the 2026 season, now through October 31st. The AFD Wildfire Division and Solid Waste Services partner together to provide this service. For days and hours of operation as well as further information on what is accepted, please visit the Solid Waste Services webpage.



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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Firewise & Defensible Space​​​​​​​​​

​Creating defensible space is the most impactful way that residents can improve ways residents can improve personal and community wildfire resilience. These efforts also create a safer, more defensible environment for firefighters to operate in during a wildfire. 

​Remember: Progress starts with action. Tackle what you can and don't be afraid to team up with friends and neighbors for the bigger jobs. Every item you check off you list is a win for your home and our community. Start small. Keep going. It all counts. ​​

Wildfire risk can be more challenging to address when hazardous vegetation exists on adjacent properties under separate ownership. Even so, individual efforts still matter. Reducing fuels around your home lowers the likelihood of structure ignition and contributes to overall neighborhood resilience.

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​​​Ways to Participate

1. Perform and ​document a Self-Assessment

2. Request a free 1:1 property assessment

​For residents living in neighborhoods exposed to wildfires, the Anchorage Fire Department, Girdwood Fire & Rescue Department, and Chugiak Volunteer Fire & Rescue Department provide free on site visits that offer personalized recommendations for vegetation management and Firewise home maintenance. Our primary goal is to educate residents ​on ways to reduce the likelihood of home ignition during a wildfire. Available resources are prioritized for on properties in the Wildland Urban Interface and properties adjacent to larger forested lands. 

Municipal Fire Departments do not have enforcement authority related to these assessments. information collected is used solely to support wildfire resilience efforts. Access to this information is limited to fire suppression personnel and is not shared with outside parties. ​

3. Tell us your property is Firewise

Why tell us your property is Firewise? 

Like many agencies, we map fire adapted homes to improve internal situational awareness and strengthen wildfire resilience efforts. Only fire suppression personnel have access to this data -- it is not​ shared with any outside parties.
By telling us your property is Firewise, you are helping us
:

  • ​Track program participation and effectiveness
  • Identify where future outreach and support may be needed 
  • Improve situational awareness for wildfire suppression personnel
  • Better understand wildfire preparedness trends across the community

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Program Objectives​​​

  • Reduce life and property losses from  wildland urban interface fires by encouraging treatment of privately owned forested areas. 
  • Educate residents on NFPA Firewise principles that help reduce the risk of home ignition during a wildfire. 
  • Provide information about safe burning practices, emergency preparedness, and forest stewardship.
  • Improve community wildfire resilience and strengthen situational awareness for wildfire suppression personnel​.


Learn More​

 



View the Firewise Alaska Brochure


Firewise Alaska Cover Linking to Full Document




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