December 21st, 1909
December 7th, 1960
Rushed, Reckless Seismic Testing Imperils Wildlife, Stifles the American Public’s Voice
WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 23, 2020) — The Department of Interior’s headlong rush to conduct seismic testing in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge threatens iconic wildlife and Indigenous communities that depend on this pristine land. The rushed, 14-day comment period — in the midst of a global pandemic — all but ensures that the public’s […]
Wildfires Are Changing Forest Communities in Interior Alaska
As boreal forest wildfires increase in severity and frequency, new patterns of post-fire recovery are emerging. Research led by Jill Johnstone and colleagues at the U.S. National Science Foundation-supported Bonanza Creek Long-term Ecological Research site found that recent wildfires led to changes in tree species dominance that are persisting through post-fire succession in Alaska’s boreal forests. Boreal black […]
Orange Trees in the Alaska Range
While wandering middle Alaska this summer, I noticed orange spruce trees along the entire length of the Denali Highway, from Paxson to Cantwell. In what looked like a dendrological case of frostbite, tips of every branch were afflicted with something. The real show happened when the wind blew: An entire valley glowed apricot. After […]
Smokejumpers Respond to Two New Fires in Interior Alaska
(Fairbanks, Alaska) – BLM Alaska Fire Service Smokejumpers responded to two fires in rural Alaska in the last few days, emphasizing dry conditions still exist in some areas despite the wet, cold weather present in other regions. The Richmond Fire (#338) burning 39 miles north of Bettles is suspected of being human-caused. It’s a reminder that […]
Long-Distance Champions of Alaska
A scientist recently wondered which animal travels farthest across the landscape in one year. In doing his research, he found a few Alaska creatures near the top of the list. Kyle Joly is a biologist with the National Park Service in Fairbanks. He works for both Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve […]
Rain falls, as it always has
It has been a rainy week in middle Alaska. Blah. But perhaps I judge liquid precipitation a bit harshly. Rain is, after all, the free distribution of a substance more valuable than gold. And, even in the Southeast’s Little Port Walter — where residents endure 80 days each year with precipitation amounts greater than […]
Isom Creek Fire Update
(FAIRBANKS, Alaska) – Firefighters continue to gain ground, closing the gap in the western containment line and constructing line on other parts of the Isom Creek Fire (#187). The La Grande Hotshots (U.S. Forest Service, Oregon) are joining crews today cutting line on the rugged south and east perimeter. There are nine hand crews […]