The City and Borough of Sitka, Alaska (pop. 8,458), on Baranof Island, is protected by one combination department, the Sitka Fire Department. From its station at 209 Lake Street, 14 paid staff and about 85 volunteers run four divisions (fire, emergency medical, search and rescue, and dive) with three ambulances, across a borough of 4,811 square miles that has only about 14 miles of road. The Sitka Police Department's 24-hour center dispatches fire and emergency calls.
Sitka Fire Department (non-emergency)
(907) 747-3233- Sitka Police Department (main line, runs dispatch): (907) 747-3245
- City and Borough of Sitka (main line): (907) 747-1800
- Sitka Fire Department, 209 Lake Street, Sitka, AK 99835, USA
- cityofsitka.com — Fire Department
- Emergency response: 24 hours. Office hours: Not published
Who Provides Fire Protection in the City and Borough of Sitka
- Sitka Fire Department — a combination department serving the whole City and Borough of Sitka, which the city puts at 4,710 square miles. Its four divisions, 14 paid staff and about 85 volunteers deliver fire suppression, emergency medical services, hazardous materials response, rescue, search and rescue, fire prevention and fire investigation.
- Fire Division — about 20 active volunteer firefighters, led by a volunteer captain and lieutenants. Paid staff keep the station crewed 24 hours a day and roll out first with the right apparatus; volunteers carry their gear in their own vehicles and go straight to the scene. The division handles house, vehicle and boat fires, traffic accidents, hazmat and public-service calls, on average 150 to 200 a year (the city's two pages give different figures).
- Search and Rescue and Dive divisions — SAR is 100% volunteer, with about 40 active members on field, K9 and incident management teams. The dive team answers water emergencies anywhere in the borough with certified public safety divers.
The Sitka Police Department runs a 24-hour dispatch and records center that is responsible for fire and emergency dispatch. Port Alexander, at the south end of Baranof Island, has its own volunteer fire department, but the town lies in the Prince of Wales–Hyder Census Area, not in the borough, so it is not counted here.
Fire Departments in the City and Borough of Sitka
| Department | Type | Main station | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sitka Fire Department (FDID 14000) | Combination (paid crew + volunteers) | 209 Lake St, Sitka, AK 99835 | (907) 747-3233 |
For anything urgent, call 911 rather than the station number. No other Sitka fire station address is published.
Estimated Response Time
We normally estimate with r ≈ √(area ÷ (stations × π)) over the area a station actually covers, but most of the borough is water, mountains and roadless forest and no figure for Sitka's road-connected area is published, so we use road distance instead. The only published station is downtown at 209 Lake Street, crewed by paid staff around the clock. Sitka's roads run about 14 miles from one end to the other, so at least one end of the road lies 7 miles or more from the station. Places reachable only by boat or air have no estimate.
| Radius | Paid duty crew (Lake St) | Volunteers (direct to scene) |
|---|---|---|
| ≤ 1.5 mi | 4–6 min | 8–12 min |
| 1.5–3 mi | 6–8 min | 10–14 min |
| 3–6 mi | 8–11 min | 12–18 min |
| > 6 mi | 11+ min | 18+ min |
Typical expectation: about 4–8 minutes for the first unit in and near downtown, 8–11 minutes farther along the road, and 11 minutes or more toward the road ends.
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 |
A large fire is fought mainly by the department's own paid crew and volunteers, who also answer boat fires, so expect the upper end of each range toward the road ends. In 1966 a fire destroyed St. Michael's Cathedral, and in 2022 an earthquake swarm and ground uplift were recorded at nearby Mount Edgecumbe.
Apparatus & Equipment
Sitka Fire Department fleet:
- Engines (2016 Pierce, 1,260 gpm; 2019 Pierce 4x4, 1,506 gpm)
- 2
- Ladder (2011 Pierce Saber quint, 1,500 gpm)
- 1
- Ambulances (Braun Northwest, 2014, 2018 and 2025)
- 3
- Command vehicles
- 2
- Fire suppression
- Ambulance (EMS)
- Hazmat
- Search & rescue
- Public safety dive team
- Fire investigation
Ratings & Accreditation
An ISO Public Protection Classification for the Sitka Fire Department is not published.
Outdoor burning: The Sitka Fire Department requires residents to get a burn permit before any open burning; call (907) 747-3233. Burns are allowed in daylight only, must be attended with a water source nearby, and may not include plastics, rubber, tar, oil, garbage or animal carcasses. Statewide, the Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection requires burn permits from April 1 to August 31 unless a stricter local or federal permit applies; small-scale permits cover brush piles up to 10 feet across and 4 feet high, and campfires under 3 feet need no permit.
Neighboring Boroughs & Census Areas
- Hoonah–Angoon Census Area, AK (north, northeast)
- Prince of Wales–Hyder Census Area, AK (southeast)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for fire in the City and Borough of Sitka?
Sitka Fire Department: (907) 747-3233, at 209 Lake Street. For any fire or medical emergency, always call 911.
Who provides fire protection in the City and Borough of Sitka?
One combination department, the Sitka Fire Department, covers the whole borough. It has 14 paid staff and about 85 volunteers in fire, emergency medical, search and rescue, and dive divisions, and runs three ambulances.
Who dispatches fire and ambulance calls in Sitka?
The Sitka Police Department runs a 24-hour dispatch center that handles fire and emergency dispatch. Its main line is (907) 747-3245; in an emergency, dial 911.
How fast does the fire department respond in the City and Borough of Sitka?
About 4–8 minutes for the first unit in and near downtown, 8–11 minutes farther along the road and 11 minutes or more toward the road ends. Places reachable only by boat or air have no estimate.
Do I need a burn permit in the City and Borough of Sitka?
Yes. The Sitka Fire Department requires a burn permit before any open burning; call (907) 747-3233. Burning is allowed in daylight only, must be attended and needs water nearby.
Last verified:
- City and Borough of Sitka — Fire Department (divisions, staffing, area, services, SAR and dive, phone, address)
- Sitka Fire Department — Fire Division (volunteers, call types, calls a year)
- Sitka Fire Department — Sitka Fleet
- Sitka Fire Department — Burn Permits
- City and Borough of Sitka — Sitka Police Department (phones)
- Sitka Police Department — Department Information (24-hour fire and emergency dispatch)
- Alaska Division of Fire and Life Safety — Fire Department Directory (September 22, 2026) (FDID, address, phone)
- Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection — Burn Permits
- Wikipedia — Sitka, Alaska (2020 population, area, road length, neighbors, 1966 fire, 2022 earthquake swarm)
- Wikipedia — Port Alexander, Alaska (census area)