North Slope Borough, Alaska (pop. 11,031), on the Arctic coast bordering Canada's Yukon, is protected by one department: the North Slope Borough Fire Department, which combines career staff with volunteer fire departments in Utqiagvik and seven villages, from Point Hope to Kaktovik. It also runs an air ambulance service with two planes and two helicopters. No roads link the villages, and North Slope Borough Dispatch takes all fire and ambulance calls.
North Slope Borough Dispatch (24/7 non-emergency)
(907) 852-6111- North Slope Borough Fire Department (administration): (907) 852-0234
- North Slope Borough (main line): (907) 852-2611
- North Slope Borough Fire Department, PO Box 69, Utqiagvik, AK 99723, USA (mailing); borough offices at 1274 Agvik Street
- north-slope.org — Fire Department
- Office hours: Not published (Dispatch answers 24 hours a day)
Who Provides Fire Protection in North Slope Borough
- North Slope Borough Fire Department (state FDID 35100) — the borough's fire and emergency medical service. Community volunteers work alongside career personnel; the department fights structure, wildland and hazardous-material fires, has rescue teams for vehicle accidents and water rescues, and provides ground and air medical transport. Its Village Operations Division delivers fire and EMS directly to the villages.
- Community volunteer fire departments — the Barrow Volunteer Fire Department in Utqiagvik and seven village departments: Anaktuvuk Pass, Atqasuk, Kaktovik, Nuiqsut, Point Hope (Tikigaq VFD), Point Lay (Kali VFD) and Wainwright. Volunteer numbers are not published.
- Aeromedical — full-time borough flight paramedics (two per team) fly patients from the villages to Samuel Simmonds Memorial Hospital in Utqiagvik or on to Anchorage and Fairbanks. The crews also support search and rescue and give limited firefighting help to the Barrow VFD.
All requests for police, fire or ambulance go to North Slope Borough Dispatch, run by the borough police department, which keeps substations in each of the seven villages and at Prudhoe Bay. Dial 911 in an emergency; the 24-hour non-emergency line is (907) 852-6111. In the oil fields, the state directory lists industrial fire departments that protect their own facilities and are not counted here: Greater Prudhoe Bay FD, ConocoPhillips Alaska Kuparuk FD and ConocoPhillips Alaska Alpine FD, plus a Hilcorp FD with an Anchorage address.
Fire Departments in North Slope Borough
| Department | Type | Main station | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Slope Borough Fire Department | Combination (career + volunteer companies, air ambulance) | PO Box 69, Utqiagvik, AK 99723 (mailing) | (907) 852-0234 |
Village stations are staffed by volunteers and not always manned. For any fire or medical emergency, call 911 rather than a station number.
Community Fire Stations
| Station | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Barrow VFD (Utqiagvik) | Not published | (907) 852-0234 (department) |
| Anaktuvuk Pass VFD | 1027 Access Rd, Anaktuvuk Pass, AK 99721 | (907) 661-3529 |
| Atqasuk VFD | 5006 Shugluk St, Atqasuk, AK 99791 | (907) 633-6814 |
| Kaktovik VFD | 527 5th St, Kaktovik, AK 99747 | (907) 640-6212 |
| Nuiqsut VFD | 2221 2nd Ave, Nuiqsut, AK 99789 | (907) 480-6613 |
| Tikigaq VFD (Point Hope) | 429 Nanook St, Point Hope, AK 99766 | (907) 368-2774 |
| Kali VFD (Point Lay) | 1017 Qasigialik St, Point Lay, AK 99759 | (907) 833-2714 |
| Wainwright VFD | 1220 Airport Rd, Wainwright, AK 99782 | (907) 763-2728 |
Source: North Slope Borough Fire Department — Contacts: Villages.
Estimated Response Time
Because the borough is huge and roadless, the estimate is worked out only for each community's own area rather than the whole borough: average distance to the station r ≈ √(area ÷ (stations × π)). In Utqiagvik (18.77 square miles of land, pop. 4,927), the number of stations is not published; assuming one, the average radius is roughly 2.4 miles, served by volunteers backed by career staff. Village crews are volunteers who must first reach the station, and they serve their own village only: there is no estimate for outside areas, and the vast areas between communities have no structural fire protection.
| Radius | Utqiagvik (combination) | Villages (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 7–10 minutes for most addresses in Utqiagvik and 8–14 minutes inside a village, depending on distance from the village fire station.
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, school or industrial building | 2–12+ hours |
Arctic cold makes large fires harder: when Kaktovik's school burned on February 7, 2020, the temperature fell to minus 35 °F with windchills near minus 63, and hoses, tanks and equipment froze. Local volunteers and residents fought it through the night, a crew flew in from Utqiagvik, and the fire was under control by the next afternoon with no injuries. Expect the upper end of each range in the villages, where help from outside must come by air.
Apparatus & Equipment
North Slope Borough aeromedical fleet:
- Fixed-wing air ambulances (Pilatus PC-24, Beechcraft King Air 350)
- 2
- Helicopters (Sikorsky S-92, Bell 412)
- 2
Each plane carries two patients and each helicopter one stretcher patient. The aeromedical team flies up to 300 fixed-wing missions and about 20 helicopter missions a year. Ground fleets are not published.
- Fire suppression
- EMS (ground and air)
- Hazmat
- Water rescue
- Wildland
- Search and rescue support
Ratings & Accreditation
ISO Public Protection Classification ratings for the North Slope Borough are not published.
Outdoor burning: The Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection requires burn permits statewide from April 1 to August 31, unless a stricter local or federal permit applies. Small-scale permits cover burn barrels and brush piles up to 10 feet across and 4 feet high; campfires under 3 feet across need no permit. Call the Division at (907) 269-8400, and ask the North Slope Borough Fire Department at (907) 852-0234 about local rules.
Neighboring Areas
- Northwest Arctic Borough, AK (southwest)
- Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, AK (south and southeast)
- Yukon, Canada (east)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for fire in North Slope Borough?
North Slope Borough Dispatch answers (907) 852-6111 24 hours a day. The fire department's administration line is (907) 852-0234. For any fire or medical emergency, always call 911.
Which fire departments serve North Slope Borough?
The North Slope Borough Fire Department, with career staff and volunteer fire departments in Utqiagvik, Anaktuvuk Pass, Atqasuk, Kaktovik, Nuiqsut, Point Hope, Point Lay and Wainwright. Oil-field fire departments at Prudhoe Bay, Kuparuk and Alpine protect their own facilities.
Does North Slope Borough have an air ambulance?
Yes. The fire department's aeromedical team flies a Pilatus PC-24, a King Air 350 and two helicopters, with flight paramedics, from the villages to Utqiagvik, Anchorage or Fairbanks. Medevac requests go through Dispatch at (907) 852-6111.
How fast does the fire department respond in North Slope Borough?
About 7–10 minutes for most addresses in Utqiagvik and about 8–14 minutes inside a village. Village volunteers serve their own village only; areas between communities have no structural fire protection.
Do I need a burn permit in North Slope Borough?
Alaska requires burn permits from April 1 to August 31; brush piles up to 10 feet across and 4 feet high need a small-scale permit, and campfires under 3 feet need none. Call the Division of Forestry at (907) 269-8400 or the fire department at (907) 852-0234.
Last verified:
- North Slope Borough — Fire Department (services, staffing model, phones, address)
- North Slope Borough Fire — Contacts: Villages (village stations, addresses, phones)
- North Slope Borough Fire — Village Volunteer Fire Department
- North Slope Borough Fire — Village Operations
- North Slope Borough Fire — Aeromedical (aircraft, missions, Barrow VFD support)
- North Slope Borough — Police Department (Dispatch, 911, village substations)
- Alaska Division of Fire and Life Safety — Fire Department Registration and Directory
- Alaska Fire Department/Agency Contact Information (September 22, 2026) (FDID, industrial departments)
- Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection — Burn Permits
- Anchorage Daily News — Fire at school in Kaktovik (2020)
- Wikipedia — North Slope Borough, Alaska (2020 population, area, neighbors)
- Wikipedia — Utqiagvik, Alaska (2020 population, land area)