Goldbug Fire Grows to Over 4,500 Acres

Update 06/19/2024: The size estimate of the fire has been expanded to 7,421 acres. Six smokejumpers worked on the Goldbug Fire (#130) for two days to keep it north of the Kugruk River. After it stalled due to natural barriers, the smokejumpers demobilized Sunday and were redeployed to the Alagnak River (#144) fire in Katmai National […]

Red Dog Mine Money Distributed to Improvement Fund; NAB Community Projects Being Determined

A group of representatives from each of the 11 borough communities met this week in Kotzebue to define criteria for the projects. “It can’t be directed toward one entity or one person. It has to be something that’s sustainable and is shared with all the community,” according to Hiram Walker, the capital projects manager for the Village Improvement Fund. Teck Resources will contribute $8 million to the VIF this year.