JOINT BASE ELMENDORF RICHARDSON, Alaska — Governor Mike Dunleavy has declared a state disaster emergency for the 2024 Stebbins School Fire. The Disaster Declaration funds emergency response efforts and activates the state’s Public Assistance Disaster Recovery Program.
On June 26, 2024, The Stebbins School and up to nine other school district structures, including teacher housing, were destroyed by a fire which began in the school’s boiler room.
No injuries have been reported to the State Emergency Operations Center at this time. Homes within the community have not been damaged, and residents have not been displaced. Power was interrupted in Stebbins and St. Michaels but has been restored to all areas outside the fire area. Stebbins’ water system and storage tank are operational and are producing water.
Six fire fighters from the Nome Volunteer Fire Fighters arrived in the community to help local efforts to extinguish all fires. Kawerak is assisting the community. The State Fire Marshall has deployed two officials to the community to assist the community and conduct a fire investigation. The Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management has activated Mass Care task force to coordinate with Alaska Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (AK VOAD) which provides non-government and charitable organization assistance to disaster impacted communities.
The disaster declaration has activated the state’s disaster Public Assistance. The Public Assistance program reimburses communities and jurisdictions for emergency response costs, emergency protective measures, cost not covered by insurance, and can fund repair of critical infrastructure damaged by the declared disaster event.
###
