Study reveals significant wildfire risk for parts of Anchorage

Plus: State clears big chunk of food stamp backlog, but thousands of Alaskans are still waiting for benefits ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Email not displaying correctly? [View the web version]( Today's sponsor: [Today's sponsor: Northrim Bank]( Support independent reporting on what Alaskans care about most. [Subscribe today.]( Good afternoon. It’s Tuesday, May 30. In today's newsletter: - A first-of-its-kind [study defining Anchorage’s wildfire risks]( reveals a stark reality: if a wildfire were to spread on the Hillside, some neighborhoods would quickly be cut off from evacuating by limited roads. - The state has [cleared a significant portion of its backlog]( of food stamp applications, but many Alaskans who applied for benefits as early as last fall are still waiting for theirs to be approved. - After navigating a school year of challenges from a budget crunch to a bus driver shortage, Anchorage schools superintendent Jharrett Bryantt [reflects on the district’s financial picture]( and what he foresees for the next school year. Warmer weather is finally here, which means weekends are about to be filled with all manner of music festivals, markets and fairs across the state. There are gatherings focused on fungus and forests, salmon and solstice — from Kodiak to Chicken and points in between, [here’s your guide to 2023 summer festivals]( happening around Alaska. Anchorage weather It's overcast with a chance of showers today and a high of 53 degrees. A chance of rain will continue through Wednesday night, and starting Thursday Anchorage will see at least partly sunny skies. Daytime temperatures will range from the mid-50s to low 60s throughout the week. Here’s what else is making headlines in Alaska today. — Megan Pacer, mpacer@adn.com [Wildfire poses ‘potentially cataclysmic danger’ in areas of Anchorage with limited road escape routes →]( Lengthening fire seasons, natural increase in vegetation loads, climate-change-driven weather patterns and dwindling budgets for fire mitigation “pose an increasingly higher risk for the potential loss of life, homes, and infrastructure” in some parts of Anchorage, a new report concludes. ADVERTISEMENT [State clears big chunk of food stamp backlog, but thousands of Alaskans are still waiting for benefits →]( Alaska’s monthslong delay in disbursing federally funded food stamps to thousands of families still isn’t over — compelling many Alaskans to continue depending on food banks and pantries for emergency food assistance while they wait. [Q&A with Anchorage schools superintendent Jharrett Bryantt on his first year leading the district →]( Bryantt stepped into the superintendent role at the start of the school year, and was immediately met with challenges including a shortage of bus drivers and tough financial decisions amid inflationary pressures and [flat state funds](. [A winter roof collapse shut Palmer’s library for months. The library just got an interim home and $5 million to rebuild. →]( The Palmer Public Library’s new interim space opened to the public last week, just days after city officials got word of an influx of state dollars to pay for future rebuilding efforts. The building suffered a partial roof collapse over the winter. [Coast Guard suspends search for 4 people missing from fishing charter boat near Sitka →]( The 30-foot charter boat was reported overdue on Sunday, and searchers found the half-submerged vessel about 10 miles west of Sitka. [One man was found dead]( in the water and four others were missing. [Photos: Memorial Day 2023 in Anchorage →]( People gathered at formal ceremonies to mark Memorial Day at the Veterans’ Memorial on the Delaney Park Strip in downtown Anchorage and at the Fort Richardson National Cemetery on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. ADVERTISEMENT More from the ADN [Soldier killed in JBER collision that injured passengers including family members →]( [Woman dies when boat with family aboard capsizes near Fairbanks →]( [Soldotna girls claim 1st state soccer title by spoiling top-seeded Kenai Central’s perfect season →]( [Eagle River man killed in ATV crash near Big Lake →]( [South girls and Colony boys prevail in overtime to claim Division I state soccer championships →]( [Travel: When it comes to airline loyalty programs, the rules of the game are always changing →]( The ADN relies on readers like you. [Get digital access to the ADN for as low as $1.99 for the first month]( and help us cover the news that matters most here in Alaska. [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [Click here to unsubscribe and manage your email subscriptions.]( Anchorage Daily News, 300 W 31st Ave, Anchorage, AK 99503, United States