The Chugach Census Area, Alaska (pop. 7,102), on Prince William Sound, has five registered or listed fire departments. The combination Valdez Fire Department runs a career-staffed station downtown plus two volunteer stations; the Cordova Volunteer Fire Department covers a 72-square-mile service area from two stations; Whittier Fire and EMS serves the "town under one roof"; and the island and coastal villages of Chenega Bay and Tatitlek have volunteer departments. Most of the 9,530 square miles has no structural fire protection.
Valdez Fire Department — Fire/EMS (main line)
(907) 835-4560- Cordova Volunteer Fire Department (non-emergency): (907) 424-6100
- Cordova Fire Marshal: (907) 424-6117
- Whittier Fire and EMS / Public Safety: (907) 472-2327
- Valdez Fire Department, 407 W Pioneer, Valdez, AK 99686, USA
- valdezak.gov/145/Fire-EMS
- Valdez City Hall: Mon–Fri 8:30–17:00 (AKT)
Who Provides Fire Protection in the Chugach Census Area
- Valdez Fire Department — combination. Station 1 downtown is staffed by career crews on 24-hour shifts all year, with at least two on duty; the roster is a chief, three captains, three lieutenants and three engineers, backed by about 35 volunteers. It also runs ALS ambulances.
- Cordova Volunteer Fire Department — founded in 1908; 20–30 volunteer firefighters and medics work with the city's fire marshal and city-employed firefighter/medics to provide 24/7 fire and ambulance service from two stations.
- Whittier Fire and EMS Department — a volunteer fire and rescue service that relies on mutual aid from neighboring departments; it answers on the city line, (907) 472-2327.
- Chenega Bay FD and Tatitlek VFD — village departments listed by the State Fire Marshal; neither registration is current (last registered 2025 and 2022).
Chenega Bay and Tatitlek are also in the Village Public Safety Officer (VPSO) service area of Chugachmiut; the state notes that VPSOs respond to structural and wildland fires and are often the only trained firefighters where no fire department exists. Alyeska Pipeline Fire & Rescue, an industrial brigade at the Valdez Marine Terminal, is registered with the state but is not counted here. Dispatch arrangements are not published; call 911 for any emergency.
Fire Departments in the Chugach Census Area
| Department | Type | Main station | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valdez Fire Department | Combination (3 stations) | 407 W Pioneer, Valdez, AK 99686 | (907) 835-4560 |
| Cordova Volunteer Fire Department | Volunteer, with paid firefighter/medics (2 stations) | Cordova, AK 99574 (address not published) | (907) 424-6100 |
| Whittier Fire and EMS Department | Volunteer | Whittier, AK 99693 (address not published) | (907) 472-2327 |
| Chenega Bay FD | Volunteer (village) | Chenega Bay, AK 99574 (address not published) | (907) 268-1992 |
| Tatitlek VFD | Volunteer (village) | Tatitlek, AK 99677 (address not published) | (907) 325-0981 |
Volunteer stations are not always staffed. For anything urgent, call 911 rather than a station number.
Valdez Fire Department Stations
| Station | Location | Staffing and apparatus |
|---|---|---|
| Station 1 (main) | Downtown Valdez | Career, 24/7; 2 engines, 1 squad, 2 ALS ambulances |
| Station 3 | About 7 miles from downtown | Volunteer; 1 engine, 1 tanker |
| Station 4 | About 14 miles from downtown | Volunteer; 1 engine, 1 tanker, 1 ALS ambulance |
Source: City of Valdez. Cordova's two stations are not named or addressed on the city site.
Estimated Response Time
Because the census area is huge and mostly roadless, we estimate only within each department's own service area: the average distance to the nearest station, r ≈ √(area ÷ (stations × π)). Valdez has three stations for about 212.7 square miles of land inside city limits, roughly 4.8 miles each, with career crews only at Station 1. Cordova's two stations cover a 72-square-mile service area, about 3.4 miles. Whittier has 12.25 square miles of land; if served from one station (station count not published), about 2.0 miles. Chenega Bay and Tatitlek have no road connection, so fire response is limited to the village itself, and the remote rest of the census area has no structural fire protection.
| Radius | Valdez (combination) | Cordova, Whittier (volunteer) |
|---|---|---|
| ≤ 1.5 mi | 5–8 min | 8–12 min |
| 1.5–3 mi | 7–10 min | 10–14 min |
| 3–6 mi | 9–13 min | 12–18 min |
| > 6 mi | 13+ min | 18+ min |
Typical expectation: about 5–8 minutes near Station 1 in downtown Valdez and 9–13 minutes elsewhere in the city; about 12–18 minutes in Cordova and 10–14 minutes in Whittier.
Estimated Fire Control Time
| Fire size | Example | Indicative time |
|---|---|---|
| Small | Grass patch, dumpster, small vehicle | 5–20 min |
| Medium | Room-and-contents, car fully involved | 15–45 min |
| Large | Whole house, commercial unit | 45–120 min |
| Major | Multi-alarm, industrial, large woodland fire | 2–12+ hours |
Outside help is far away: Cordova has no road link to other communities, Valdez is reached only by the Richardson Highway, and Whittier only through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel. On September 14–15, 2026, a fire at Whittier's new $80 million cruise dock found no working hydrants; Anchorage and Girdwood crews ran a tender shuttle that moved at least 161,000 gallons, joined by Moose Pass, Bear Creek and Cooper Landing. In 1964 the Good Friday earthquake tsunami killed 32 at Valdez's dock and 26 of 68 residents of the old Chenega village.
Apparatus & Equipment
Published fleets of Valdez and Cordova:
- Engines (Valdez 4, Cordova 2)
- 6
- Tankers (Valdez 2, Cordova 1)
- 3
- Ambulances (Valdez 3 ALS, Cordova 2)
- 5
- Squad / rescue (Valdez Squad, Cordova Rescue 1)
- 2
- Other Cordova units (Water 1, ATV 1, Harbor 10)
- 3
Whittier, Chenega Bay and Tatitlek fleets are not published.
- Fire suppression
- ALS ambulance
- Hazmat (Valdez)
- Mutual aid
Ratings & Accreditation
ISO Public Protection Classification ratings for the Chugach Census Area's fire departments are not published.
Outdoor burning: Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection permits are required from April 1 to August 31 for burn barrels, lawns under 1 acre and brush piles up to 10 feet wide and 4 feet high (campfires under 3 feet are exempt), unless a stricter local or federal permit applies. Valdez refers residents to the DNR Valdez/Copper River Area (hotline (907) 822-8665) and asks them to notify the fire department each time and not to burn in winds of 10 mph or more. In Cordova, Whittier and the villages, ask the city or local fire department.
Neighboring Boroughs & Census Areas
- Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK (north)
- Copper River Census Area, AK (north)
- City and Borough of Yakutat, AK (east)
- Kenai Peninsula Borough, AK (west)
- Municipality of Anchorage, AK (west)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for fire in the Chugach Census Area?
Valdez Fire/EMS: (907) 835-4560. Cordova Volunteer Fire Department: (907) 424-6100. Whittier Fire and EMS / Public Safety: (907) 472-2327. For any fire or medical emergency, always call 911.
Which fire departments serve the Chugach Census Area?
Five: the Valdez Fire Department, the Cordova Volunteer Fire Department, Whittier Fire and EMS, Chenega Bay FD and Tatitlek VFD. Most of the census area outside these communities has no structural fire protection.
Is the Valdez Fire Department career or volunteer?
Both. Station 1 downtown is staffed around the clock by career crews, at least two on duty, while about 35 volunteers staff Stations 3 and 4, about 7 and 14 miles from downtown.
How fast does the fire department respond in the Chugach Census Area?
About 5–8 minutes near Station 1 in downtown Valdez and 9–13 minutes elsewhere in the city, about 12–18 minutes in Cordova and 10–14 minutes in Whittier. Chenega Bay and Tatitlek can respond only within the village.
Do I need a burn permit in the Chugach Census Area?
From April 1 to August 31, Alaska Division of Forestry permits are needed for burn barrels, lawns under 1 acre and brush piles up to 10 by 4 feet. In Valdez, also notify the fire department each time you burn and do not burn in winds of 10 mph or more.
Last verified:
- City of Valdez — Fire / EMS (address, phones, hours)
- City of Valdez — Fire Stations (stations, staffing, apparatus)
- City of Valdez — Open Fires (burning rules)
- City of Cordova — Cordova Volunteer Fire Dept. (stations, service area, apparatus, staffing, phones)
- Alaska State Fire Marshal — Fire Department Registration and Directory (registration status)
- Alaska Division of Fire and Life Safety — Fire Department Directory (September 2026) (department names, phones)
- Alaska DPS — Village Public Safety Officers (VPSO fire role, Chugachmiut communities)
- Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection — Burn Permits
- Alaska DNR — Valdez/Copper River Area Fire Prevention (burn permit hotline)
- Anchorage Daily News — Whittier cruise dock fire (2026)
- Wikipedia — Chugach Census Area, Alaska (2020 population, area, neighbors)
- Wikipedia — Valdez, Alaska (land area, road access, 1964 earthquake)
- Wikipedia — Cordova, Alaska (road access)
- Wikipedia — Whittier, Alaska (land area, tunnel, volunteer fire service)
- Wikipedia — Chenega, Alaska (access, 1964 tsunami)