Description

The fire environment on Kenai Peninsula and in south-central Alaska has experienced significant changes due to the recent spruce beetle epidemic (Fastabend 2002). Firefighters and fire researchers do not have enough experience with wildland fires that occur in the dead-spruce/cured-grass fuel complexes to appraise potential fire behavior in these fuel types accurately. All firefighters, despite their general experience level, should use caution when approaching fire incidents in beetle-killed areas.