Alaska Desk

Officials say the fire started in the backyard of a home on the Alaska Highway and has since grown to over 20 acres.

Thousands of households rely on the company’s wood to keep warm through the Interior’s brutal winters.

“It's a beautiful blend of performance, artistry, and athleticism,” a fan said. “And you get to scream a lot.”

Environmental groups say the transfer would erode federal subsistence rights and speed up resource development projects, like the proposed Ambler Road.

“Six years ago, if you would have told me I'd be doing this, I’d think you were insane,” said one Toolik worker. “But this has probably been one of the coolest turns in my life that I didn't know I needed.”

The drilling project would take place near Delta Junction and the Tanana River.

The deployment comes during an unusually quiet Alaska fire season, allowing crews to head south to help contain the devastating Aspen Acres Fire.

They’re trying to figure out whether climate change is making swimmer’s itch more common in the places where many locals spend their summer afternoons.

The plan would clear forests for a new forage area and improve existing fields to sustain the bison population — and keep them out of local farms.

“We are definitely not in the clear, given the forecast that we have,” a state climatologist said.