Rural Alaska

After a successful spring whaling season, residents celebrated with a festival that included community meals, the blanket toss and late-night traditional dancing.

A federal court ruled that the state cannot issue gillnet openers for all Alaskans in the federal areas of the Kuskokwim River, at least for now. That will be the job of the federal government.

Troopers said they coordinated with the village of Kokhanok and area lodges to mount a response, and passengers were brought out of the lake, loaded into skiffs and taken to a nearby clinic.

The cause remains under NTSB investigation.

State and federal managers have closed the entire lower Yukon River to chinook and chum fishing.

Fires burning in Southwest and Western Alaska increased in size by over 150 square miles each day this week, according to the Division of Forestry.

Tundra fires have always happened. But historically, they were small and infrequent, experts say, describing the current situation as “unprecedented.”

Wind shifted the flames away from St. Mary’s, Pitkas Point, Pilot Station and Mountain Village early this week.

The East Fork Fire had grown to almost 200 square miles by Monday morning, but officials said the flames were moving away from St. Mary’s.

On Sunday, the East Fork Fire was within 3.5 miles of the Southwest Alaska village, and many people had evacuated.

By Sunday, the East Fork fire had grown to almost 122,000 acres but triggered no mandatory evacuations.

By Saturday, the East Fork fire had grown to just over 108,000 acres but triggered no mandatory evacuations.

Officials on Friday urged residents of St. Mary’s and Pitkas Point to prepare for possible evacuation. Some elders and vulnerable residents have already left to the hub community of Bethel.

Yute Commuter Service is sending all its planes to St. Mary’s to evacuate residents, and Grant Aviation is prepared to assist.

No evacuation orders were issued for St. Mary’s. The nearly 50,000-acre fire was started May 31 by lightning.

Federal entities sent in more firefighters this week, and some residents are thinking about preparing their go-bags.

NOAA has agreed to add Alaĝum Kanuux, or Heart of the Ocean, by the Aleut Community of St. Paul Island to a list of areas it could consider for designation as a marine sanctuary.

Agencies have dedicated hundreds of millions of dollars to help Alaska Native villages address the effects of climate change, but communities have struggled to navigate the red tape or faced technical hurdles.

Pvt. George Fox died in Italy in 1944. But even after his remains returned to Unalaska, they were buried in an unmarked grave despite years of work pushing the government to recognize his sacrifice.

Air tankers and smokejumpers responded to the fire, which the Alaska Division of Forestry said is no longer a threat.

Fox said that speaking Yugtun and flying locals around the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta has been her dream since middle school. But she didn’t always think that dream could be a reality.

The solar project is owned by the tribal governments in Shungnak and Kobuk, who are selling the power to rural Alaska’s largest electric utility.

The school’s contest entry placed in the top five, and the award from Vans will be a much-needed infusion of cash for the art department.