Background Articles

In Kotzebue, Alaska, local responders continue to repair over 50 properties severely damaged by a storm in October, focusing on essential infrastructure before winter begins.

At least 30 houses still needed repairs, cleanup was ongoing, and the city’s residents grappled with the need to fix snowmachines, keep their soaked houses warm and prepare for future emergencies.

Power was restored in Rytkuchi, Chukotka after a storm caused village-wide flooding.

This research compiles over a century of local flood data in Alaska to improve future flood risk prediction and planning, addressing the lack of accessible historic flood information for community and regional use.

The slide Sunday afternoon just above the Southeast Alaska city’s downtown sent tons of debris and mud onto a half-dozen homes, killing one person and injuring three.

Landslides have killed at least 12 Alaskans in the past decade and destroyed homes and critical infrastructure.

Floodwaters from the Mendenhall River rushed under Sam and Amanda Hatch’s home last August at then record-levels. After the water receded, their house sank several inches into the saturated soil, shifting its foundations. As they rebuilt, the Hatch family decided to elevate their house by four feet on piers to avoid flooding in the future. Scraping together deals and favors, Sam Hatch said the whole process cost around $135,000. It was completed a month ago, he said.

Despite a general decrease in wildfires across B.C., the Dogtooth fire near Golden has destroyed structures and prompted evacuations, contrasting with the province's improving situation.

Climate change is affecting all aspects of the northern housing industry, from the structures themselves to the transportation of materials. One way to fix the issue is to put more reliance on northern community-based knowledge..

Emergency measures are in place in Kotzebue after a failure in the Swan Lake Loop left 74 households without water, prompting local and state officials to declare an emergency and take action to provide services and repair infrastructure.

Alaska's new Sustainable Energy Action Plan aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions and promote renewable energy, excluding oil industry cuts.

A federal grant will provide heat pumps to households and solar energy systems to villages in the Northwest Arctic, aiming to reduce energy costs and reliance on diesel, with an expected annual revenue of nearly $1 million for the region.

Alaska is set to receive $125M in federal funds for renewable energy projects, benefiting over 20 villages with solar, hydroelectric, and storage initiatives.

The state is seeking new support from FEMA and other partners to expand studies of landslide risks on Wrangell Island and elsewhere in Alaska.

Kotzebue residents face heating challenges as Vitus fuel thickens in extreme cold, leading to clogged filters and system failures, prompting some to switch suppliers.

Juneau shatters snow record for Jan. 22; forecaster says avalanches “could begin to endanger homes.”

Juneau's history of deadly landslides, particularly the 1936 disaster that killed multiple residents, is a testament to the region's susceptibility to such events, which may increase with changing weather patterns.

Melting permafrost in Nunapitchuk is causing severe structural damage to homes, leading to erosion, instability, and health issues for residents.

Officials in Anchorage suggest residents consider shoveling their roofs due to record snowfall and the potential for more, along with concerns about ice dams and roof stress.

The Norwegian Electricity Authority reports faults in approximately 75% of solar panels, raising concerns about potential fires as inexperienced installers need more safety training.