Alaska has a fire problem. A person in Alaska, on average, is three times more likely to die in a fire than anywhere else in the United States. Given the fact that the United States in itself has historically one of the leading fire rates of any industrialized nation worldwide does not bode well for Alaskans. The problem that prompted this research is that Alaska's high fire death rate has remained high even while fire deaths in the rest of the nation have been falling indicating that current approaches for reducing Alaska's fire death rate have not been effective. The purpose of this research project was to define the significant characteristics of the Alaska fire death problem.Those influencing factors were identified to be used in community risk reduction efforts to help develop select strategies and tactics for Alaska's challenges with the ultimate goal of implementation and the reduction in fire fatalities. The research methods used to conduct this study were the historical and evaluative methods in attempt to discover the significant cause and effect characteristics of Alaska's fire death rate. Research was used to answer the following questions: (1) To what extent does being a remote rural state with a harsh climate contribute to Alaska's fire death problem? (2) What role does poverty play in Alaska's fire death rate? (3) What are the identifiable, significant characteristics influencing Alaska's fire death rate? Research through literature review was used to identify the potential characteristics that could be expected in an analysis of the Alaska's fire deaths.Once the potential influencing factors were identified in relation to this project, national and state data were used for comparison of those characteristics and an evaluative analysis was used to answer the research questions. Characteristics and patterns to Alaska's fire challenges became apparent. Surprisingly, some traditional fire safety perceptions were not always the significant factors in Alaska's high death rates, even though many fire prevention officials and programs tend to focus only on traditional issues. Research found that poverty is not a major obstacle to Alaskan fire safety nor was being a large "rural" state with a low population density. Findings showed that Alaskans were most likely to die from fire in the home with heating and smoking as the most significant causes of fatal fires.Evidence was found that climate and the state of Alaskan housing had an amplification effect to the fire problem. Arson was found not to have a significant impact to the life safety of Alaskans. This research did show that early warning by a working smoke detector to have the largest potential of lessening the severity of a fire in terms of fire death. A summary of recommendations made as a result of this analysis of Alaska's fire deaths are as follows: (1) Assure at least one working smoke detector in every Alaskan home. (2) Build fire prevention coalitions to promote safe Alaska housing. (3) Revisit current fire prevention efforts and evaluate if they are efficient use of resources towards the Alaska's fire death problem as identified in this study. (4) Rethink statewide efforts on fire protection to differentiate the efforts that effectively protect property from those that protect lives.