For much of May, the sound of chainsaws echoed through the neighborhood near Anchorage’s Hilltop Ski Area, as firefighters worked to reduce wildfire risks in the forested area where the town meets the woods.
Trail closures and caution tape blocked popular single-track paths while crews from the Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection, supported by the Anchorage Fire Department, spent long days clearing hazardous fuels.
Up to 60 firefighters at a time worked 10 to 12 hours daily cutting, stacking, and burning debris as part of the East-West Connector fuels reduction project…