Petersburg Borough, Alaska (pop. 3,398) covers 3,829 square miles of Mitkof Island, part of Kupreanof Island and the mainland coast, but has one registered fire department: the Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department. Three career staff and about 70 volunteers run its fire, ambulance and search-and-rescue branches from two stations, downtown and at Scow Bay. Its primary area is borough Service Area 1, the former City of Petersburg; it also reaches remote places by boat or aircraft. Remote areas have no structural fire protection.
Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department (non-emergency)
(907) 772-3355- Petersburg Police Department / dispatch (non-emergency): (907) 772-3838
- Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department, 1200 Haugen Drive, Petersburg, AK 99833, USA (mail: PO Box 329)
- petersburgak.gov/publicsaf (Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department)
- Fire department office (burn permit questions): 7:00–17:00 (AKT)
Who Provides Fire Protection in Petersburg Borough
- Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department (PVFD) — the borough's only department in the state fire department directory (FDID 15000). It has three branches (Fire, Emergency Medical Services and Search & Rescue), three career staff and about 70 volunteers, led by an Emergency Services Director, a Fire Marshal and a volunteer fire chief. Its primary response area is Service Area 1, but it also answers calls outside it by road, boat, fixed-wing aircraft or helicopter.
The City of Kupreanof, across Wrangell Narrows, has no department of its own in the state directory. In a 2009 house fire there, Petersburg volunteers crossed with the harbor security skiff and pumps; in 2020 they loaded the boat but stood down after Kupreanof residents put out a shed fire themselves. Hobart Bay, Thomas Bay and the rest of the mainland coast have no fire department in the sources below. The Petersburg Police Department's dispatchers take 911 calls, including text-to-911.
Fire Departments in Petersburg Borough
| Department | Type | Main station | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department | Volunteer (3 career staff, ambulance, SAR) | 1200 Haugen Dr, Petersburg, AK 99833 | (907) 772-3355 |
Most responders are volunteers who answer from home or work. For anything urgent, call 911 rather than a station number.
Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department Stations
| Station | Address |
|---|---|
| Station 1 (main station, career staff) | 1200 Haugen Dr, Petersburg, AK 99833 |
| Station 2, Scow Bay (unstaffed; training tower, burn room, pump test pit) | Scow Bay, Mitkof Island (street address not published) |
Estimated Response Time
Because the borough is huge and mostly roadless, we estimate only over the department's own primary area (r ≈ √(area ÷ (stations × π)), using census land area). Service Area 1 is the former City of Petersburg, now the Petersburg census-designated place: 44.17 square miles of land and two stations, an average distance to the nearest station of roughly 2.7 miles. Career staff work from Station 1, but most crews are volunteers who must first reach a station. On the Mitkof Highway beyond Service Area 1, in Kupreanof (by boat) and on the mainland there is no estimate: 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 10–14 minutes in Service Area 1 (Petersburg and Scow Bay), with longer waits possible in summer, when fewer volunteers are available.
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 |
Petersburg is on an island with no bridge to the mainland, reached only by air or the Alaska Marine Highway ferry, so it cannot call engines from a neighboring town; expect the upper end of each range for large fires. Off the hydrant system, water comes from the 3,500-gallon tanker and its portable tank. In 2024 local radio reported the EMS branch critically short of volunteers, especially in summer; the department's 2024 annual report noted new recruits at the end of the year. Petersburg averages about 110 inches of precipitation and 86 inches of snow a year.
Apparatus & Equipment
- Engines, 750 gal / 1,250 gpm (3 at Station 1, 1 at Station 2)
- 4
- Engine/squad, 250 gal
- 1
- Water tanker, 3,500 gal, with portable tank (Station 2)
- 1
- BLS/ALS ambulances
- 2
- Search & rescue vehicle
- 1
- Admin vehicle
- 1
The fire branch also responds to vehicle accidents, hazardous materials, technical rescues, building collapses and aircraft emergencies.
- Structural fire
- Ambulance (EMS)
- Search & rescue
- Tanker water supply
- Hazmat
Services & Community Programs
- Ambulance: the EMS branch answers medical calls and medevac transports and assists at the hospital; its members are trained from Emergency Trauma Technician to EMT-3.
- Junior Firefighter program for ages 15 to 18; firefighters train three Thursdays a month.
- Emergency alerts: sign up for the borough's emergency notification system.
- House numbers: order high-visibility house numbers from the borough so crews can find you.
Ratings & Accreditation
ISO Public Protection Classification ratings for Petersburg Borough are not published.
Outdoor burning: In Service Area 1, open burning needs a one-day borough permit (online form): daylight only, out by sundown, attended, with water at hand. Piles up to 3 by 2 feet must be 20 feet from buildings; up to 10 by 10 feet, 50 feet; larger piles need an on-site inspection. Burning is banned in the business and petroleum districts and during area-wide burn bans. Questions: (907) 772-3355. Statewide, Division of Forestry burn permits are required from April 1 to August 31 unless a stricter local or federal permit applies; campfires under 3 feet across need no permit.
Neighboring Boroughs
- City and Borough of Juneau, AK (northwest)
- Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, AK (north and west)
- Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, AK (southwest)
- City and Borough of Wrangell, AK (southeast)
- Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine, British Columbia, Canada (east)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for fire in Petersburg Borough?
Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department: (907) 772-3355. Petersburg Police Department (dispatch): (907) 772-3838. For any fire or medical emergency, always call 911.
Which fire departments serve Petersburg Borough?
One: the Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department, with stations in Petersburg and at Scow Bay. Its primary area is Service Area 1, the former City of Petersburg. Kupreanof has no department of its own, and remote areas have no structural fire protection.
Who provides the ambulance in Petersburg?
The Emergency Medical Services branch of the Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department, with two BLS/ALS ambulances. It also handles medevac transports and assists at the hospital.
How fast does the fire department respond in Petersburg Borough?
About 10–14 minutes for the first unit in Service Area 1, longer in summer when fewer volunteers are available. There is no estimate for remote areas, which have no structural fire protection.
Do I need a burn permit in Petersburg?
Yes, in Service Area 1 open burning needs a one-day borough permit; burn barrels that meet the setback and screening rules are exempt. Statewide, Division of Forestry permits are required from April 1 to August 31. Questions: (907) 772-3355.
Last verified:
- Petersburg Borough — Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department (staff, volunteers, stations, apparatus, address, phone)
- Petersburg Borough — Fire Branch (call types, training, juniors)
- Petersburg Borough — EMS Branch
- Petersburg Borough — Public Safety (alerts, house numbers)
- Petersburg Borough — Burn permit (open burning)
- Petersburg Borough — Petersburg Police Department (phone, dispatch)
- Alaska Division of Fire and Life Safety — Fire Department Directory (September 22, 2026 list)
- Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection — Burn Permits
- Local Boundary Commission — Petersburg Borough decision (2012) (area, communities, Scow Bay fire station)
- Alaska Public Media — Alaska's volunteer firefighting force (2023) (three employees, no mutual aid)
- Alaska Public Media — Petersburg police receive first text for help (2023)
- KFSK — Petersburg emergency services on life support (2024)
- Petersburg Pilot — PVFD annual report (2025)
- KFSK — Winds fan flames at Kupreanof home (2009)
- KFSK — Neighbors help douse Kupreanof Island shed fire (2020)
- Wikipedia — Petersburg Borough, Alaska (2020 population, neighbors)
- Wikipedia — Petersburg, Alaska (land area, access, climate)