State declares disaster following Kivalina fire and power outages

The state declared a disaster emergency today following a fire in Kivalina that on Tuesday destroyed two buildings, led to a prolonged power outage and prompted the evacuation of nearly half of the village. No one was hurt in the fire, which was reported around 1 p.m. Tuesday and contained by the early evening, borough Director of Public Safety Chris Hatch said. The blaze burned down the town’s bingo hall and the adjacent community center, as well as threatened the Alaska Village Electric Cooperative’s power plant located nearby, he said....