Collaboration leads to successful fuels projects in Lake Clark National Park & Preserve

Western Area Fire Management staff load gear onto a small plane in Anchorage, AK in preparation for a fuels work project at Lake Clark National Park & Preserve Bradley Hagstrom, NPS

In late May/early June 2023, four members of a Western Area Fire Management team in Alaska were joined by three fire staff from Buffalo National River in Arkansas, in NPS’s Midwest Region, and one from Great Smokey National Park in NPS’s Eastern Region, to work on fuels projects at Lake Clark National Park & Preserve.

Using Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding, fire staff completed important fuels projects at five different sites, totaling close to 30 acres.

A helicopter comes in for a landing at the recently-cleared Sore Thumb Airstrip in Lake Clark National Park & Preserve in June, 2023 Bradley Hagstrom, NPS

Clearing the Sore Thumb Airstrip was an extremely important accomplishment which will benefit park staff and visitors for years to come. The Sore Thumb Airstrip is the only airstrip in the northwest corner of Lake Clark National Park & Preserve, the portion of the park where the majority of wildland fires occur. Since the park is not on the road system, air and boat travel are the only methods for people and supplies to reach the park, and airstrips can be critical for both park staff and the public in emergencies. Aircraft hadn’t been able to land on Sore Thumb Airstrip since 2018 due to concern of wing or propellor strikes in the dense vegetation, and there were no other options close by for landings to stage personnel and gear and conduct fuel re-loading. After the fire module’s hard work, this is now a working airstrip again!

Western Area Fire Management staff clear trees in Port Alsworth, close to the Lake Clark National Park & Preserve Headquarters and Visitor Center Matt Koller, NPS

The fire module finished work on a fuels break at Port Alsworth which had been partially done in 2015-2016 and added to the size of the break. This will significantly reduce risk infrastructure in the park, including the visitor center, park headquarters, and employee housing, as well as some private homes in Port Alsworth in the event of a future wildfire. Again, due to the remote nature of the park, providing this extra layer of protection is crucial to reduce risk in the event of a future wildfire in the area.

Staff conducted fuel (vegetation) treatments at two established public use cabins, the Joe Thompson and Priest Rock cabins. Both of these cabins are frequently used throughout the summer, and with the reduced risk to loss due to wildfire provided to the cabins by this work, fire staff have increased the likelihood that the cabins will be around for many years for future generations to use when visiting and recreating in Lake Clark National Park & Preserve.

And finally, staff conducted fuels mitigation around the Tanalian Point day use area, a brand-new property that will be made into a small campground. The area was previously densely forested, and the fuels reduction work will allow for development of the camping area in a manner that increases public safety through reducing risk from future fires.

The Hanson Cabin, barely visible in thick vegetation in May 2023 Matt Koller, NPS

The staff from the Midwest and Eastern regions who joined Alaska staff were available to assist as part of a collaboration that began earlier in the year, when Alaska staff helped out on some fuels projects in the Midwest region. This arrangement is mutually beneficial through making use of each region’s optimum prescribed burning window and moving staff to other regions to get more work accomplished when conditions were best. Matt Koller, crew lead for this fuels work and Fire Management Specialist for the Western Area Fire Management team in Alaska noted, “This work wouldn’t have been feasible without the inter-regional cooperation.” The Alaska Region hopes to continue this partnership in the future, to continue reducing wildfire risk not only Alaska’s valuable natural and cultural resources, but to also contribute to protecting park resources in the lower 48.

The Hanson Cabin site after fuels treatment done by staff from the Western Area Fire Management Team, May 2023 Matt Koller, NPS

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