The Alaska Fire Service is floating a plan to contract with Alaska Native corporations and tribal groups to provide wildfire crews. AFS spokeswoman Beth Ipsen says the draft proposal currently out for potential contractors to provide feedback on, has several potential advantages.
”Giving them more of an opportunity for stable employment. Giving them some opportunity for Native self-government,” Ipsen said. “As well as a higher quality, more experienced crew that can spend more days on a fire assignment.”
Ipsen says emergency firefighting crews across Alaska have declined from 70 to 20 over the last 15 years, a drop attributed to other, more stable employment opportunities, and increasing government regulations, including a health screening.
”A contractor could potentially have some requirements, like physical fitness requirements or medical requirements, but that would be up to the contractor,” Ipsen said.