Case study of the modified fire suppression option: Three 1997 Alaska fires

Flexibility in the Alaska Interagency Fire Management Plan allowed for varied responses to three Modified fires, all located within 15 miles of Bettles, Alsaka. Discussions with land managers about values at risk, potential cost, probability of success, fuels, and fire behavior resulted in the decisions to directly suppress two fires and indirectly suppress a third. The fires B347 and B483 were 45 and 400 acres at time of detection, while fire B349 was 600 acres. Fires B347 and B483 were held to 50 and 600 acres at costs of $25,568 and $202,893, respectively. Fire B349 grew to 24,185 acres at a cost of $115,306. Aggressive attack of Fire B349 would have resulted in a similar or higher cost, while losing the ecosystem benefits of a large patchy fire in a fire-dominated ecosystem.