A State of Emergency has been declared in Point Hope, Alaska, as severe winter weather, including high winds and power outages, disrupts the community. Shelter and support services are in place for affected residents.

Unusually strong winds in Point Hope, Alaska, caused widespread power outages, prompting over 200 residents to seek shelter at a local school, while poor weather conditions delayed the arrival of a lineman to restore power.

A tundra fire that has grown to 2,000 acres as of Monday afternoon is burning near Point Hope, officials say. 

As of Tuesday, two new fires had started in the Galena Zone, bringing the total number of fires in the area to 35. To date this year, wildland fires have burned more than 44,000 acres in the region.

3-5-14 Advisory - beluga safety

Arctic food storage system at risk.

From Point Hope to Kaktovik, North Slope communities saw anywhere from 10 to 15 bears in each village this winter. For the most part, bears are not going into the villages, but in some cases, they come close enough for people to take photos and sometimes, people come too close.