Alaska health officials issued an alert after wild shellfish from Kachemak Bay’s inner bay tested above regulatory limits for paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins. Residents are warned not to harvest or eat untested wild shellfish; monitoring and test results are being posted by the Alaska Harmful Algal Bloom Network.

A 36-year-old woman was seriously injured in a suspected brown bear attack near her home on Chinook Drive in Kenai early Tuesday. Authorities are searching for the bear and urging residents to stay vigilant and secure attractants.

The traditional king salmon fishery on the Kenai River has collapsed for a third straight year, but unprecedented sockeye runs have buoyed local guides, processors and businesses—while also creating new infrastructure and sustainability challenges.

A minke whale stranded on MacDonald Spit near Seldovia for six hours on July 17 but refloated with the rising tide and swam back into Kachemak Bay; the Seldovia Village Tribe suspects a toxic algal bloom disoriented the whale.

The Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve detected Pseudo-nitzschia at bloom levels in Kachemak Bay starting July 4. This diatom can produce the toxin domoic acid, associated with amnesic shellfish poisoning, though toxin production is not yet confirmed. Observed bird deaths and marine mammal strandings have spurred collection of mussel samples for lab testing.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has closed the Ninilchik River to all sport fishing from June 23 through July 15 to help meet king salmon escapement and broodstock collection goals.

Fishing on the Kenai and Russian rivers opened June 11, but as of the previous evening only one sockeye salmon had been counted at the Russian River weir—compared to more than 700 at this time last year.

It appeared that the plane had landed near a glacier on the partially frozen lake, broke through the ice as it rolled to a stop and then began to sink. It wasn’t known if the pilot landed intentionally on the lake thinking the ice was more solid than it was, or whether a mechanical issue forced the plane down.

Two small wildfires on the Kenai Peninsula have been reported and quickly contained as the region enters an early fire season. Burn permits are now required on all state, private, and municipal lands due to early warm temperatures and low snowpack.

Area biologists recommend securing attractants as warmer weather leads to earlier bear activity on the Kenai Peninsula, prompting calls for caution among residents.

The State Department of Fish and Game has closed king salmon fishing on the Kenai River and surrounding Cook Inlet areas for the third consecutive year due to alarmingly low forecast returns.

Due to a diminished snowpack on the central Kenai Peninsula, the Ski for Women event at Tsalteshi Trails near Soldotna, Alaska has been canceled, though organizers remain hopeful about the upcoming Tour of Tsalteshi.

The Anchor River in Alaska has flooded again due to an ice dam, marking the worst flooding in recent history and prompting road closures and infrastructure concerns. This is the second such incident in a month, highlighting an unusual increase in flooding events this year.

A winter storm disrupted services in Homer, Alaska, knocking out power to South Peninsula Hospital for 90 minutes after backup generators failed.

Flooding from an ice jam on the Anchor River led to water flowing over Anchor Point Road, but no damage was reported.

Homer Mayor Rachel Lord declared a local emergency after water and debris washed over the Homer Spit last weekend, damaging parts of the road and forcing closures.

Homer Spit Road sustained damage from high tides and winds, prompting short-term repairs and highlighting the need for long-term erosion control measures.

No obvious cause of death for this adult and juvenile otter.

Heavy rains and melting glaciers are making landslides in the area more common, says a geologist.

From the images shared, these appear to be Philemona, a freshwater parasite. Philomena is a food quality concern but is Not considered a human health concern. With proper preparation, the salmon is safe to eat.