Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, Alaska (pop. 2,365) spreads over 7,525 square miles of islands and mainland in northern Southeast Alaska, with no road link to the outside. Six volunteer fire departments protect its villages: Hoonah, Gustavus, Angoon, Pelican, Tenakee Springs and Elfin Cove. Hoonah's Department of Public Safety runs a 24-hour 911 dispatch for police, fire and EMS. Outside the villages there is no structural fire protection.
Hoonah Department of Public Safety (non-emergency)
(907) 945-3655- Gustavus Volunteer Fire Department (non-emergency): (907) 697-2707
- Angoon VFD (state directory): (907) 957-4112
- Hoonah Public Safety, 379 Raven Drive, Hoonah, AK 99829, USA
- cityofhoonah.org (Hoonah Volunteer Fire Department)
- Hoonah 911 dispatch: staffed 24 hours a day
Who Provides Fire Protection in Hoonah-Angoon Census Area
- Hoonah Volunteer Fire Department — the largest department, with more than 14 volunteers trained to Firefighter I and II, two structure engines and a foam truck. It covers the city limits and helps the US Forest Service Hoonah Ranger District when asked. A separate volunteer EMS team of more than 14 EMTs runs two ambulances and a modified off-road ambulance.
- Gustavus Volunteer Fire Department — fire, EMS (ETTs and EMTs, with an ambulance) and search and rescue for Gustavus, at the entrance to Glacier Bay.
- Four village departments — Angoon VFD, Pelican Volunteer Fire & EMS, Tenakee Springs VFD and Elfin Cove FD, listed in the state fire department directory.
Hoonah's Department of Public Safety staffs a 911 dispatch around the clock for its police, fire and EMS divisions, and the Alaska State Troopers keep a post in Hoonah. Gustavus has its own volunteer dispatchers; call 911 there, not the fire hall. How 911 calls from the other villages are routed is not published. Angoon, Pelican and Klukwan have a Village Public Safety Officer (VPSO); Klukwan has no fire department in the state directory. Smaller places such as Game Creek and Whitestone Logging Camp have no fire department listed.
Fire Departments in Hoonah-Angoon Census Area
| Department | Type | Community (pop. 2020) | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hoonah Volunteer Fire Department | Volunteer (separate volunteer EMS) | Hoonah, AK 99829 (931) | (907) 945-3655 (Public Safety) |
| Gustavus Volunteer Fire Department | Volunteer, fire + EMS | Gustavus, AK 99826 (655) | (907) 697-2707 |
| Angoon VFD | Volunteer | Angoon, AK 99820 (357) | (907) 957-4112 |
| Tenakee Springs VFD | Volunteer | Tenakee Springs, AK 99841 (116) | (907) 736-2211 |
| Pelican Volunteer Fire & EMS | Volunteer, fire + EMS | Pelican, AK 99832 (98) | (907) 735-2201 |
| Elfin Cove FD | Volunteer | Elfin Cove, AK 99825 (24) | Not published |
Volunteer fire halls are not staffed around the clock. For anything urgent, call 911 rather than a fire hall or a volunteer.
Estimated Response Time
Because the census area is almost entirely roadless, each estimate uses only the department's own city limits, assuming one fire hall per community: r ≈ √(land area ÷ π). Hoonah (5.87 square miles) works out to about 1.4 miles, Pelican (0.55) to 0.4 miles, Tenakee Springs (13.15) to 2.0 miles, Angoon (24.53) to 2.8 miles and Gustavus (36.36) to 3.4 miles. All crews are volunteers who must first reach the hall. Response is limited to each village itself; there is no estimate for camps, cabins or boats elsewhere, and remote areas have no structural fire protection.
| Radius | Volunteer departments |
|---|---|
| ≤ 1.5 mi | 8–12 min |
| 1.5–3 mi | 10–14 min |
| 3–6 mi | 12–18 min |
| > 6 mi | 18+ min |
Typical expectation: about 8–12 minutes in Hoonah and Pelican, 10–14 minutes in Tenakee Springs and Angoon, and 12–18 minutes in outlying parts of Gustavus.
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 |
No outside engine can drive in, so a village must hold a fire with its own crew; expect the upper end of each range. Fire has shaped this area: in 1944 a fire destroyed much of Hoonah, including many Tlingit cultural objects, and in 2010 a fire and explosions destroyed the Icy Strait Lumber Mill. The nearest hospital is Bartlett Regional Hospital in Juneau; serious patients leave by air ambulance or Coast Guard helicopter, and Hoonah EMS coordinates with the US Coast Guard and Guardian Flight.
Apparatus & Equipment
- Structure engines (Hoonah)
- 2
- Foam truck (Hoonah)
- 1
- Ambulances (Hoonah)
- 2
- Modified off-road ambulance (Hoonah)
- 1
- Ambulance (Gustavus)
- 1
- Truck with new skid unit (Gustavus, 2026)
- 1
Angoon, Pelican, Tenakee Springs and Elfin Cove do not publish fleet lists. In its July 2026 quarterly report, Gustavus VFD counted 60 EMS calls and no fire calls so far that year, and four of six responders passed the Firefighter I written exam.
- Volunteer EMS
- Ambulance
- Search and rescue (Gustavus)
- Wildland support
Ratings & Accreditation
ISO Public Protection Classification ratings are not published for any department in Hoonah-Angoon Census Area. The Hoonah Volunteer Fire Department was accredited by the Alaska Fire Commission in 2010, and Hoonah's volunteer EMS was recognized by the State of Alaska for excellence in 2009.
Outdoor burning: The Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection requires a burn permit statewide from April 1 to August 31, unless a stricter local or federal permit applies. A small-scale permit covers burn barrels, lawns under 1 acre and brush piles up to 10 feet across and 4 feet high; campfires under 3 feet need none. Larger burns need a large-scale permit. Gustavus has no local rules: print the state permit at the fire hall and email GVFD before a brush burn.
Neighboring Boroughs and Census Areas
- Yakutat City and Borough, AK (northwest)
- Haines Borough, AK (northeast)
- City and Borough of Juneau, AK (northeast)
- Petersburg Borough, AK (southeast)
- City and Borough of Sitka, AK (southwest)
- Stikine Region, British Columbia, Canada
- Kitimat-Stikine Regional District, British Columbia, Canada (southeast)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for fire in Hoonah-Angoon Census Area?
In Hoonah, call the Department of Public Safety at (907) 945-3655; it runs 24-hour dispatch for police, fire and EMS. In Gustavus, the fire department's line is (907) 697-2707. For any fire or medical emergency, always call 911.
Which fire departments serve Hoonah-Angoon Census Area?
Six volunteer departments: Hoonah, Gustavus, Angoon, Pelican, Tenakee Springs and Elfin Cove. Each covers its own community; there is no area-wide fire service.
Does Hoonah have a full-time fire department?
No. The Hoonah Volunteer Fire Department has more than 14 volunteer firefighters, two structure engines and a foam truck. Dispatch, run by Hoonah Public Safety, is staffed around the clock.
How fast does the fire department respond in Hoonah-Angoon Census Area?
Inside the villages, the first unit usually arrives in about 8–12 minutes in Hoonah and Pelican, 10–14 minutes in Tenakee Springs and Angoon, and up to 12–18 minutes in outlying Gustavus. Areas outside the villages have no structural fire protection.
Do I need a burn permit in Hoonah-Angoon Census Area?
Yes, from April 1 to August 31 an Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection permit is required unless a stricter local or federal permit applies. Small-scale permits cover burn barrels, lawns under 1 acre and brush piles up to 10 by 4 feet.
Last verified:
- City of Hoonah — Volunteer Fire Department (volunteers, engines, foam truck, coverage)
- City of Hoonah — Volunteer EMS Team (EMTs, ambulances, medevac partners)
- City of Hoonah — Public Safety (phone)
- City of Gustavus — Gustavus Volunteer Fire Department (phone, services, ambulance)
- City of Gustavus — GVFD Quarterly Report, July 2026 (calls, training, dispatchers)
- City of Gustavus — Burning Regulations and Forms
- City of Pelican — Volunteer Fire Department & EMS
- Alaska Division of Fire and Life Safety — Fire Department Directory (departments, FDIDs)
- Alaska DCCED Community Database — Public Safety layers (fire department contacts as of June 2026, VPSO posts)
- Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection — Burn Permits
- Wikipedia — Hoonah–Angoon Census Area, Alaska (2020 population, area, neighbors, communities)
- Wikipedia — Hoonah, Alaska (population, land area, fires, accreditation, medevac)
- Wikipedia — Hoonah Police Department (911 dispatch, address)
- Wikipedia — Gustavus, Alaska (population, land area)
- Wikipedia — Angoon, Alaska (population, land area)
- Wikipedia — Tenakee Springs, Alaska (population, land area)
- Wikipedia — Pelican, Alaska (population, land area)
- Wikipedia — Elfin Cove, Alaska (population)