Governor approves disaster declaration to provide financial help for residents

What you need to know: 

• Gov. Mike Dunleavy has approved a state disaster declaration for Mat-Su following a three-day windstorm with hurricane-force gusts.
• Individuals will be able to request state grants to pay for repairs or other needs connected to wind storm damage. Officials have not yet released details on how to request that help. Mat-Su borough officials are waiving construction and household debris disposal fees at the Central Landfill through Dec. 21 to help with cleanup.
• Power wasn't fully restored to all Mat-Su residents until Wednesday morning. Schools opened on time Wednesday, despite minor damage to some buildings. City buildings in Houston, Wasilla and Palmer did not sustain major damage. An American Red Cross emergency shelter in Wasilla closed Wednesday morning.

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Updated Dec. 10, 4:15 p.m.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy on Tuesday issued a disaster declaration for the Matanuska-Susitna Borough to provide aid for individuals and local governments affected by the recent three-day windstorm.

The declaration, requested by Mat-Su officials Tuesday afternoon, provides grants to individuals and families to make home repairs, secure temporary housing or address other needs caused by the weekend storm, according to a state news release sent Wednesday.

Details on how much money may be available or how individuals can apply will be provided “in the coming days,” the release said.

“We are activating our disaster programs to bring relief to individuals and families who suffered property damage, and to ensure the Mat-Su Borough is reimbursed for emergency protective measures and infrastructure repairs,” Dunleavy said in the statement.

The borough will waive construction and household waste disposal fees at the Central Landfill near Palmer through Dec. 21 to help with cleanup, officials said in a release Wednesday.

The waiver also covers furniture, concrete and other nonhazardous construction trash, the release states. Brush and woody debris dumping at the landfill is already free.

“This measure is intended to support the disposal of storm-related waste and to assist residents who experienced damage or loss to personal property from the recent windstorm,” the release states.

The waiver applies only to individuals, not businesses or commercial landfill users, it states.

An American Red Cross emergency shelter at the Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Complex in Wasilla closed Wednesday morning, hours after power was restored to all homes and businesses in the region.

An average of 17 people stayed in the shelter each night between Saturday and Wednesday, Red Cross officials said in a release. Volunteers helped more than 50 people and provided more than 200 meals and snacks during operations, they said.

Officials with Matanuska Electric Association said some areas may experience brief power outages this week as crews work to fully remove trees from power lines.

Winds were expected to return to the Mat-Su on Wednesday evening, with gusts of up to 60 mph forecast through the weekend, according to the National Weather Service in Anchorage.

Updated Dec. 10, 7:40 a.m.

PALMER — Matanuska-Susitna Borough officials have issued a disaster declaration and asked for state financial support following a three-day windstorm with hurricane-force gusts that left some residents without power until early Wednesday morning.

“The borough has declared a disaster for the Dec. 5 to 9, 2025, high winds,” Borough Manager Mike Brown said during a joint Mat-Su Assembly and School Board meeting Tuesday evening. “The borough experienced wind gusts of at least 89 miles an hour and gusts in excess of 50 miles an hour from Friday, Dec. 5, through Tuesday, Dec. 9 — that is crazy.”

The declaration asks the state for public and individual financial assistance to support recovery efforts, Brown said.

The request was submitted to Gov. Mike Dunleavy Tuesday afternoon, Brown said in an interview. It does not guarantee individual financial aid, he said.

Winds were expected to return to the region Wednesday through Friday, with gusts of between 30 and 45 mph expected starting Wednesday afternoon, forecasters said Tuesday.

Hundreds of Mat-Su residents remained without power Tuesday as residents and officials surveyed damage and began cleanup efforts. Power wasn’t fully restored to all Matanuska Electric Association members until 2 a.m. Wednesday, the utility said. 

Households and businesses still without power should call the Matanuska Electric Association hotline at 907-746-7697 and press 3 to speak with a representative, MEA officials said. Doing so helps the utility sync its outage map with reports from customers who still need assistance.

An American Red Cross emergency shelter at the Curtis D. Menard Center in Wasilla was expected to remain open for at least one more day, spokesperson Taylar Sausen said.

“Although we don’t anticipate anybody staying overnight tonight, it will remain open for the next day or so as we evaluate if there is still a need for folks to have shelter as power has mostly been restored,” she said in a statement.

Wind speeds during the storm peaked Saturday evening with a gust of 89 mph at Palmer Airport, according to the National Weather Service in Anchorage. By midday Tuesday, winds at the airport were negligible, according to weather data.

All Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District facilities were expected to reopen Wednesday, despite minor damage to some buildings, said district spokesperson John Notestine. Fences and sheds were flipped or tossed by the wind, and an outbuilding was damaged at Academy Charter School in Palmer, he said.

About 20 Durham school buses were damaged by rocks and flying debris, with repairs expected in time for school Wednesday morning, Notestine said.

Damage to official buildings small, but residents see major problems

Residents across Mat-Su spent Tuesday surveying the damage on their homes — trees on fences and roofs, missing shingles, burst pipes.

The borough does not have the authority to offer financial assistance to those individuals, Brown said. Such help could become available if Dunleavy gives the OK, he said.

“That would put the wheels in motion to potentially allow folks to get some assistance,” he said.

A decision on the declaration is expected this week.

Across Mat-Su, few government assets were damaged in the storm.

The borough building saw minimal damage, Brown said, though issues included missing siding. The Sutton Library lost some siding and was without power over the weekend, but crews used a generator to prevent its pipes from freezing, said Community Development Director Jillian Morrisey.

Hurricane-force winds toppled trees in Matanuska River Park, including some large cottonwoods, Morrisey said. Trail crews were traveling across the borough Tuesday to scout damage in other parks, and users who notice downed trees on trails should contact the community development office at recreational.services@matsugov.us, she said.

City buildings in Houston escaped the storm unscathed, Houston Fire Chief Christian Hartley said Tuesday.

In Wasilla, the most significant damage was to a Christmas and Hanukkah display near Wasilla Lake. The menorah broke in half, and the Christmas tree bent over, said Public Works Director Erich Schaal.

In Palmer, public works crews were also reviewing public buildings for damage Tuesday. A generator was set up to keep pipes from freezing in the historic Palmer Depot, which first lost power Saturday and remained dark Tuesday.

“Personnel are out clearing debris — and there are hundreds of trash cans blowing around,” said Public Works Director Jude Bilafer.

-- Contact Amy Bushatz at contact@matsusentinel.com

This story was updated Dec. 10 to add additional information about the disaster declaration and to update information on the number of power outages in the area.