Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska (pop. 5,343) is the largest county-equivalent in the United States: 147,842 square miles of Interior Alaska. Fire protection is volunteer and village-based. The state fire directory lists 24 departments, from Nenana Volunteer Fire/EMS on the Parks Highway to Galena, Fort Yukon, McGrath and Tanana; only Nenana, Galena, Minto and Manley Hot Springs are currently registered. Each covers only its own community.
Nenana Volunteer Fire/EMS Dept. (non-emergency)
(907) 832-5600- City of Galena (fire, EMS): (907) 656-1301
- City of Fort Yukon: (907) 662-2479
- City of McGrath: (907) 524-3825
- Tanana Chiefs Conference VPSO program: (907) 452-8251 ext. 2068
- Nenana Volunteer Fire/EMS Dept., PO Box 70, Nenana, AK 99760, USA (mailing)
- cityofnenana.com
- Nenana City Office (723 A Street): Mon–Thu 10:00–14:00 (AKT)
Who Provides Fire Protection in Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area
- Nenana Volunteer Fire/EMS Dept. — the City of Nenana lists Volunteer Fire/EMS among its services. Nenana is on the Parks Highway, 55 road miles from Fairbanks.
- Galena, McGrath and Fort Yukon — Galena lists a volunteer fire department and EMS; McGrath a volunteer fire department, volunteer ambulance and VPSO; Fort Yukon has a fire chief.
- 20 more village fire departments — listed by the Alaska Division of Fire and Life Safety, from Huslia and Nulato to Venetie and Arctic Village. Most are no longer registered.
- Wildland fire — the Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection and the BLM Alaska Fire Service, whose Galena Zone covers about 93 million acres of western Alaska.
How 911 calls are answered in each community is not published. Where there is no fire department, Village Public Safety Officers (VPSOs) are often the only trained firefighters; Tanana Chiefs Conference runs the VPSO program in villages such as Allakaket, Koyukuk, Shageluk, Rampart, Circle and Central, which have no department in the state directory.
Fire Departments in Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area
| Department | Type | Mailing address | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nenana Volunteer Fire/EMS Dept. | Volunteer fire + EMS (registered 2026) | PO Box 70, Nenana, AK 99760 | (907) 832-5600 |
| Galena VFD | Volunteer (registered 2026) | PO Box 149, Galena, AK 99741 | (907) 656-1301 |
| Manley Hot Springs VFD | Volunteer (registered 2026) | PO Box 72, Manley Hot Springs, AK 99756 | (907) 672-3003 |
| Minto VFD | Volunteer (registered 2026) | PO Box 26, Minto, AK 99758 | (907) 798-7070 |
| Fort Yukon VFD | Volunteer (last registered 2021) | PO Box 269, Fort Yukon, AK 99740 | (907) 662-2311 |
| Holy Cross VFD | Volunteer (last registered 2012) | PO Box 89, Holy Cross, AK 99602 | (907) 476-7124 |
| Huslia VFD | Volunteer (last registered 2018) | PO Box 10, Huslia, AK 99746 | (907) 829-2267 |
| Nikolai FD | Village (last registered 2012) | PO Box 9145, Nikolai, AK 99691 | (907) 293-2113 |
| Nulato VFD | Volunteer (last registered 2014) | PO Box 65086, Nulato, AK 99765 | (907) 898-2353 |
| Ruby FD | Village (last registered 2017) | PO Box 68090, Ruby, AK 99768 | (907) 468-4602 |
| Tanana VFD | Volunteer (last registered 2018) | PO Box 249, Tanana, AK 99777 | (907) 366-1050 |
| Venetie VFD | Volunteer (last registered 2016) | PO Box 81119, Venetie, AK 99781 | (907) 849-8544 |
Mailing address only: McGrath VFD, PO Box 207, McGrath (last registered 2015; call the city office) and Birch Creek VFD, PO Box 73505, Fairbanks (2018). Listed by community only (last registered in brackets): Anvik FD (2004), Arctic Village VFD (1998), Beaver VFD (2008), Bettles VFD (2009), Chalkyitsik VFD (2007), Grayling Village VFD (2004), Hughes VFD (2006), Kaltag VFD (2007), Stevens Village VFD (2008) and Takotna VFD (2000).
Village fire halls are not always staffed, and unregistered departments may be inactive. For anything urgent, call 911.
Estimated Response Time
Method: the census area is huge and mostly roadless (0.04 residents per square mile), so we divide only each department's own city area by one station (station counts are not published). Nenana (5.95 sq mi of land, about 60 residents per square mile) gives an average radius of roughly 1.4 miles, Fort Yukon (6.75 sq mi) 1.5 miles, Galena (17.65 sq mi) 2.4 miles and McGrath (42.33 sq mi) 3.7 miles; most homes sit in a smaller built-up area. Villages serve only themselves; there is no structural fire protection between communities.
| Radius | Nenana, Galena, Fort Yukon, McGrath (volunteer) | Other villages (volunteer) |
|---|---|---|
| ≤ 1.5 mi | 8–12 min | 8–12 min |
| 1.5–3 mi | 10–14 min | 10–14 min |
| 3–6 mi | 12–18 min | No estimate (outside village) |
| > 6 mi | No estimate (outside city) | No estimate (outside village) |
Typical expectation: about 8–12 minutes in Nenana and Fort Yukon, 10–14 minutes in Galena, up to 12–18 minutes in outlying parts of McGrath, and about 8–12 minutes inside a village with an active volunteer department; no structural response outside communities.
Estimated Fire Control Time
| Fire size | Example | Indicative time |
|---|---|---|
| Small | Steam bath, snowmachine, small vehicle | 5–20 min |
| Medium | Room-and-contents, car fully involved | 15–45 min |
| Large | Whole house, school or fuel building | 45–120 min |
| Major | Wildfire reaching a community | 2–12+ hours |
Outside help arrives by air or river, or by road for Nenana, Minto and Manley Hot Springs. In August 2021 Nenana volunteers and state forestry held a railroad-sparked wildfire to 2 acres. The Yukon and Tanana rivers also flood: a May 2013 ice jam flooded about 90% of Galena's homes, and Nenana was hit in 1967 and 2008.
Apparatus & Equipment
Fleet lists for the census area's fire departments are not published.
- Fire suppression
- EMS / ambulance (Nenana, Galena, McGrath)
- Search and rescue
- Wildland (state and federal)
Ratings & Accreditation
ISO Public Protection Classification ratings for Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area's fire departments are not published.
Outdoor burning: Alaska requires burn permits from April 1 to August 31. Small-scale permits cover burn barrels and brush piles up to 10 feet across and 4 feet high; campfires under 3 feet need no permit. In the Galena, Tanana and Upper Yukon fire areas, print the "Federally Protected Zone" small-scale permit at dnr.alaska.gov/burn. Division of Forestry & Fire Protection offices: Southwest Area in McGrath (907) 524-3010; Fairbanks (907) 451-2629 (burn permit hotline (907) 451-2631).
Neighboring Boroughs and Census Areas
- North Slope Borough, AK (north)
- Northwest Arctic Borough, AK (northwest)
- Nome Census Area, AK (west)
- Kusilvak Census Area, AK (west)
- Bethel Census Area, AK (south)
- Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK (south)
- Denali Borough, AK (southeast)
- Fairbanks North Star Borough, AK (southeast)
- Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, AK (southeast)
- Yukon, Canada (east)
FAQ
What is the non-emergency number for the fire department in Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area?
Nenana Volunteer Fire/EMS: (907) 832-5600. Elsewhere call the city office, e.g. Galena (907) 656-1301. For any fire or medical emergency, always call 911.
Which fire departments serve Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area?
The state lists 24 departments, including Nenana, Galena, Fort Yukon, McGrath, Tanana and Huslia. Only Nenana, Galena, Minto and Manley Hot Springs are currently registered.
Who fights fires in a village with no fire department?
Village Public Safety Officers are often the only trained firefighters. Tanana Chiefs Conference runs the regional VPSO program: (907) 452-8251 ext. 2068.
How fast does the fire department respond in Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area?
About 8–12 minutes in Nenana and Fort Yukon, 10–14 in Galena and up to 12–18 in outlying McGrath. Departments cover only their own community.
Do I need a burn permit in Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area?
Yes, from April 1 to August 31, for burn barrels and brush piles up to 10 feet across and 4 feet high; campfires under 3 feet need none. Get one at dnr.alaska.gov/burn.
Last verified:
- Alaska Division of Fire and Life Safety — Fire Department Contact Directory (September 22, 2026) (departments, addresses, phones)
- Alaska Division of Fire and Life Safety — Fire Department Registration and Directory (registration status)
- City of Nenana — City Office (address, hours)
- Alaska Municipal League city profiles: Nenana, Galena, McGrath, Fort Yukon (city services, phones)
- Tanana Chiefs Conference — VPSO program (villages served, phone)
- Alaska Department of Public Safety — Village Public Safety Officers (VPSO fire role)
- Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection — Burn Permits
- Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection — Prevention contacts (Fairbanks, McGrath offices)
- Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection — Galena area permit
- Alaska Wildland Fire Information — Nenana Rail Fire (2021)
- Alaska Wildland Fire Information — Behind the scenes in Galena (2019) (Galena Zone)
- Wikipedia — Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska (2020 population, area, neighbors, communities)
- Wikipedia: Nenana, Galena, McGrath, Fort Yukon (land areas, population, road access, floods)