Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska (pop. 58,799) is protected by a mix of city fire departments in Kenai, Homer, Seward and Seldovia, borough fire service areas led by Central Emergency Services (Soldotna, Sterling, Kasilof), Nikiski Fire, the Western and Kachemak emergency service areas and Bear Creek, plus volunteer departments in Cooper Landing, Hope, Moose Pass, Lowell Point, Nanwalek and Port Graham. The borough's Soldotna dispatch center handles most fire calls.
Central Emergency Services, Soldotna (non-emergency)
(907) 262-4792- Kenai Fire Department dispatch (non-emergency): (907) 283-7879, office (907) 283-7666
- Homer Volunteer Fire Department: (907) 235-3155
- Western Emergency Service Area (Anchor Point): (907) 235-6700
- CES Station 1, 265 Wilson Lane, Soldotna, AK 99669, USA
- kpb.us/service-areas/ces
- Kenai FD office: Mon–Fri 8:00–17:00 (AKT)
Who Provides Fire Protection in Kenai Peninsula Borough
- City departments — Kenai Fire Department (fire, EMS and hazmat, ISO Class 3, two stations incl. the airport); Homer Volunteer Fire Department; Seward Fire Department (chief, deputy chief, fire marshal, three full-time firefighter/EMTs and 25 volunteers, 300+ calls a year); Seldovia Volunteer Fire & EMS.
- Borough service areas — Central Emergency Services (CES: Soldotna, Sterling, Kasilof, Kalifornsky Beach, Funny River; five stations); Nikiski Fire (over 6,000 sq mi incl. part of Cook Inlet, Beluga and Tyonek); Western Emergency Service Area (WESA, formed by the 2020 vote that merged Anchor Point and Ninilchik; 10 full-time staff plus volunteers); Kachemak Emergency Services (KESA, east of Homer); Bear Creek Fire & EMS (Seward Highway mile 3.5–8, since 1977).
- Community and village departments — Cooper Landing, Hope/Sunrise, Moose Pass, Lowell Point, Nanwalek and Port Graham; member numbers are not published.
The borough-run Soldotna Public Safety Communications Center dispatches nine borough fire departments, the Alaska State Troopers and Soldotna police. Kenai, Homer and Seward run their own dispatch centers; cellphone 911 calls from those cities reach a borough dispatcher who forwards them. Seward backs up Bear Creek, Moose Pass and Lowell Point.
Fire Departments in Kenai Peninsula Borough
| Department | Type | Main station | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenai Fire Department | Career, city (2 stations) | 105 S Willow St, Kenai, AK 99611 | (907) 283-7666 |
| Central Emergency Services | Combination, borough (5) | 265 Wilson Ln, Soldotna, AK 99669 | (907) 262-4792 |
| Nikiski Fire | Borough FSA (4) | 53700 Paul Ct, Kenai Spur Hwy | Not published |
| Western Emergency Service Area | Combination, borough (3) | 72440 Milo Fritz Ave, Anchor Point, AK 99556 | (907) 235-6700 |
| Kachemak Emergency Services | Borough FSA | 53048 Ashwood Ave, Homer, AK 99603 | (907) 235-9811 |
| Bear Creek Fire & EMS | Borough FSA | 13105 Seward Hwy, Seward, AK 99664 | (907) 224-9210 |
| Homer Volunteer Fire Department | City | 604 E Pioneer Ave, Homer, AK 99603 | (907) 235-3155 |
| Seward Fire Department | Combination, city | 316 Fourth Ave, Seward, AK 99664 | Not published |
| Seldovia Volunteer Fire & EMS | Volunteer, city (2) | 259 Lipke Ln, Seldovia, AK 99663 | Not published |
| Cooper Landing Emergency Services | Volunteer | 38748 Snug Harbor Rd, Cooper Landing | Not published |
| Hope/Sunrise Emergency Services | Volunteer | 19925 Hope Hwy, Hope | Not published |
| Moose Pass Volunteer Fire Company | Volunteer | 33657 Depot Rd, Moose Pass | Not published |
| Lowell Point VFD | Volunteer | 13915 Lowell Point Rd, Seward | Not published |
| Nanwalek VFD | Volunteer, village | 63265 Blueberry St, Nanwalek | Not published |
| Port Graham Emergency Services | Volunteer, village | 63795 Graham Rd, Port Graham | Not published |
Volunteer stations are not always staffed. In an emergency, call 911.
Other Stations
| Station | Address |
|---|---|
| Kenai FD Airport Station | 515 N Willow St, Kenai |
| CES Sterling / K-Beach / Funny River / Kasilof | 35202 Sterling Hwy; 37699 Kalifornsky Beach Rd; 32530 Funny River Rd; 58260 Sterling Hwy |
| CES Mackey Lake (training) | 37475 Mackey Lake Rd, Soldotna |
| Nikiski Stations 2, 3, 4 | 51770 Kenai Spur Hwy, Nikiski; 84400 Beluga Hwy, Beluga; 75161 A St, Tyonek |
| WESA Nikolaevsk / Ninilchik | 65830 Nikolaevsk Rd; 15763 Kingsley Rd, Ninilchik |
| Seldovia Barbara Heights | 2138 Jakolof Bay Rd, Seldovia |
Source: RadioReference (2016); some sites may have changed since.
Estimated Response Time
Because most of the borough is roadless, we apply r ≈ √(area ÷ (stations × π)) only to each department's own area: Kenai (29.1 sq mi, 2 stations) about 2.2 miles; Soldotna, served by CES Station 1 (7.0 sq mi), about 1.5 miles; Seward (14.0 sq mi) and Homer (13.8 sq mi), one station each, about 2.1 miles. Nikiski Fire said in 2016 that many residents live more than 5 miles from a station. Seldovia, Nanwalek, Port Graham, Tyonek and Beluga have no road link, so response is limited to the village; remote areas have no structural fire protection.
| Radius | Kenai (career) | CES, Seward, WESA (combination) | Volunteer areas |
|---|---|---|---|
| ≤ 1.5 mi | 4–6 min | 5–8 min | 8–12 min |
| 1.5–3 mi | 6–8 min | 7–10 min | 10–14 min |
| 3–6 mi | 8–11 min | 9–13 min | 12–18 min |
| > 6 mi | 11+ min | 13+ min | 18+ min |
Typical expectation: about 6–8 minutes in Kenai, 5–8 in Soldotna, 7–10 in Seward, 10–14 in Homer, and 12–18+ minutes along the rural highways.
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 the city centers hydrants are scarce, so expect the upper end of each range. Nikiski Fire also covers oil and gas platforms in Cook Inlet, and Seward handles marine, mountain and water rescue. CES Station 1 alone answered 3,214 emergency calls in a year (KDLL, 2024).
Apparatus & Equipment
Fleet lists are not published. The new CES Station 1 has 10 apparatus bays.
- Fire suppression
- EMS / ambulance
- Hazmat (Kenai)
- Marine & water rescue (Seward)
- Wildland
Ratings & Accreditation
ISO PPC: Kenai Class 3; Soldotna (CES) Class 2 since May 2016; Nikiski Class 6 (2016). Other ratings are not published.
Outdoor burning: The Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection requires a burn permit from April 1 to August 31. Small-scale permits cover burn barrels, lawns under 1 acre and brush piles up to 10 ft wide and 4 ft high; campfires under 3 ft need none. Stricter local rules apply: inside Homer, get a city permit from the fire department at (907) 235-3155. Forestry office: (907) 269-8400.
Neighboring Boroughs
- Municipality of Anchorage, AK (north)
- Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK (north)
- Chugach Census Area, AK (east)
- Kodiak Island Borough, AK (south)
- Lake and Peninsula Borough, AK (west)
- Bethel Census Area, AK (northwest)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for fire in Kenai Peninsula Borough?
Central Emergency Services (Soldotna area): (907) 262-4792. Kenai Fire Department dispatch: (907) 283-7879. Homer Volunteer Fire Department: (907) 235-3155. For any fire or medical emergency, always call 911.
Who fights fires outside the cities in Kenai Peninsula Borough?
Borough service areas: Central Emergency Services, Nikiski Fire, the Western and Kachemak emergency service areas and Bear Creek, plus volunteer departments in Cooper Landing, Hope, Moose Pass, Lowell Point, Nanwalek and Port Graham.
What ISO ratings do Kenai and Soldotna have?
The Kenai Fire Department holds ISO Class 3. Soldotna, protected by Central Emergency Services, moved to Class 2 in May 2016. Nikiski improved to Class 6.
How fast does the fire department respond in Kenai Peninsula Borough?
About 6–8 minutes in Kenai, 5–8 in Soldotna, 7–10 in Seward, 10–14 in Homer and 12–18+ minutes along rural highways. Off-road areas have no structural fire protection.
Do I need a burn permit in Kenai Peninsula Borough?
Yes, from April 1 to August 31 a state Division of Forestry & Fire Protection permit is required for burn barrels, lawns and brush piles. Inside Homer, also ask the fire department at (907) 235-3155.
Last verified:
- City of Kenai — Fire Department (phones, ISO)
- City of Homer — Fire Department (address, phone, burn permits)
- City of Seward — Fire Department (staffing, calls)
- Kenai Peninsula Borough — Fire & EMS overview (service areas)
- Kenai Peninsula Borough — Bear Creek Fire
- Kenai Peninsula Borough — Directory (phones)
- Alaska State Fire Marshal — Fire Department Directory 2025 (Bear Creek)
- Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection — Burn Permits
- Peninsula Clarion — New fire station opens in Soldotna (2026)
- KDLL — CES breaks ground on new Soldotna station (2024)
- Peninsula Clarion — Area fire protection on the rise (2016) (ISO, Nikiski)
- Peninsula Clarion — New fire, EMS service area (2020) (WESA)
- Peninsula Clarion — 911 dispatch partnership (2022)
- RadioReference — Kenai Peninsula fire stations (2016)
- Wikipedia — Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska (population, area, neighbors; city land areas)