UAF crew fights Willow fire

June 17, 2015

University Relations

The UAF firefighting crew is in Willow to help extinguish the wildfire that’s burned through nearly 12 square miles in the area.

To see a photo of the UAF crew at a staging area, visit http://www.adn.com/article/20150616/national-priority-toll-willow-wildfire-now-stands-50-100-structures.

Students serving on the crew gain valuable hands-on experience while earning an associates degree in fire science or an occupational endorsement in wildland fire. This training, offered through the Community and Technical College and the Interior Alaska Campus, serves both rural and urban students and offers a pathway toward careers in fire science with the Alaska Division of Forestry or U.S. Bureau of Land Management.

It is one of the nation’s first nationally certified crews sponsored by a university.

According to Alaska Dispatch News article, the Sockeye Fire near Willow has already destroyed 50 to 100 structures. Some of the lost buildings are sheds or other small outbuildings and not homes. At least 25 were homes, according to a statement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency released midday Tuesday.