public safety

The Seward Highway was closed for about 8 hours and reopened Saturday morning.

The Alaska Division of Forestry says the exact cause of the fire is still under investigation, but has ruled out lightning, suggesting the blaze was human-caused.

In February, 36-year-old Kirby Calderwood pleaded guilty to murdering Anesha “Duffy” Murnane. He accepted a plea deal through which state prosecutors dropped eight other charges in the case.

The Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection reported Tuesday “intensive mop-up operations” on the so-called Grandview Fire have concluded and there’s no further threat of spread.

The so-called Grandview Fire broke out last week and grew from eight to almost 90 acres in one night. The state later determined the blaze was caused by an escaped campfire.

The Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection says the so-called Grandview Fire was sparked by an escaped campfire and slowed when it hit a stand of hardwood.

Lori Price said she was foraging near the Upper Skilak Lake Campground when she heard her 3-year-old German Shorthaired Pointer, Chaos, make what she described as a screeching yip noise.

Derek Berry, 39, was reported missing by family members in early May.

River John Aspelund was initially deemed incompetent to stand trial after he was diagnosed with schizophrenia following his arrest. The state Court of Appeals later ruled he could be involuntarily medicated.

The civil suit comes as the troopers await trial in their state criminal and federal civil rights cases. They’ve pleaded not guilty in both cases.