Dangerous dead trees that may cause a fire or falling hazard are being removed along many Anchorage trails.
The spruce bark beetle-killed spruce trees have posed a hazard across Southcentral Alaska for more than a decade, and federal American Rescue Plan Act funds are being used to help remove the dangerous trees from trails along the Anchorage Hillside. Parks and Trails Safety Foreman for the Anchorage Department of Parks and Recreation Mike Braniff said that the city is spending nearly $4 million in ARPA to remove dead spruce trees this summer and next, so Anchorage residents may hear the sound of chainsaws along while traversing trails.
“If we don’t address beetle kill — this fuel situation — and also the falling hazard the trees present in certain areas, are two dangers that we just can’t afford to let get away from us,” Braniff said. “Left standing dead, eventually this material is going to burn. Our goal is to remove it before it does burn.”