CBJ Appoints Thomas Hatley as Fire Chief of Capital City Fire Rescue

The City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ) is pleased to announce the appointment of Thomas Hatley as the new Fire Chief for Capital City Fire Rescue (CCFR). Chief Hatley’s first official day in the role will be February 9.

“CBJ is excited to welcome Chief Hatley to our community and look forward to having his extensive and relevant experience available to our dedicated first responders and support staff,” says CBJ Deputy City Manager, Robert Barr.”

Chief Hatley brings more than 30 years of progressive fire service leadership to Juneau, with experience across multiple agencies in the Northwest, including Idaho and Washington. His career includes service as Deputy Fire Chief, Fire Chief, Assistant Chief/Fire Marshal, Division Chief, and Captain. Most recently, he served as Deputy Fire Chief for the Spokane Valley Fire Department, where he oversaw major operational divisions, guided strategic planning and accreditation efforts, managed multimillion-dollar capital projects, and led interagency coordination initiatives.

“I am honored to join the City and Borough of Juneau and the dedicated professionals of Capital City Fire Rescue,” shared Chief Hatley. “After more than three decades in the fire service, I have learned that the strongest departments are built on relationships, trust, and pride in serving the community. I am thankful for the leadership of retiring Fire Chief Rich Etheridge and the solid foundation he leaves behind. I am looking forward to getting to know the Juneau community, listening to what matters most to residents, and being present where the fire department can make a difference. Juneau’s geography, weather, and isolation make teamwork and preparation essential, and I am excited to work alongside our firefighters, city leadership, and community partners to keep Juneau a safe place to live and work.”

As fire chief, Hatley will serve as the administrative leader of CCFR, providing departmental leadership and guidance on emergency response and preparedness, fire prevention and community risk reduction, strategic planning, workforce development, interagency relations and community engagement.

Chief Hatley succeeds Fire Chief Rich Etheridge, who retired on December 31, 2025, after over 27 years of exemplary public safety service with CBJ and CCFR. Cindy Carte, CBJ HR Manager, stepped in as Acting Fire Chief on January 1 to provide steady leadership and continuity between Chief Etheridge’s retirement and Chief Hatley’s arrival on February 9.

January 16th, 2026|

CBJ Avalanche Evacuation Advisory Update – Evacuation Advisory Lifted for All Known Paths

The evacuation advisory has been lifted for all slide paths, including the Behrends pathway.  Risk from avalanche hazard remains elevated and future evacuation advisories are possible. CBJ is actively monitoring and assessing avalanche risk for all other known slide paths and will provide updates as conditions continue to change.

Despite heavy rain, high winds, and warm temperatures at high elevations, no avalanche activity was reported overnight. Utilizing AKDOT&PF drones, forecasters were able to conduct a visual inspection of the Behrends path this morning  to better assess the snowpack and current avalanche conditions. The fact that upper start zones were saturated with rain last night and did not release, combined with the reduced snow levels at lower elevation, has brought the risk back to a level acceptable to lift the evacuation advisory for now. Residents are reminded to stay alert and be prepared to act if conditions change.

AKDOT&PF opened the Thane Road this morning.

You can find current hazard advisories and preparedness information at bit.ly/CBJavalanche. More information about the current avalanche hazard and snowpack conditions from CBJ’s Avalanche Advisor will be available later today at juneau.org/emergency/avalanche-information.

For questions about evacuation contact [email protected].

January 14th, 2026|

Update: CBJ Recycling Center Remains Closed Until the Weekend

The City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ) Recycling Center will now be closed through January 16 due to damage to operational equipment caused by the heavy precipitation from the winter storm. CBJ RecycleWorks staff are working on repairs and hope to open to the public on Saturday, January 17. Staff will provide notice and open the facility as soon as possible if repairs are completed early.

CBJ Household Hazardous Waste will open for normal operating hours on Thursday, January 15.

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For more information, contact RecycleWorks Manager Stuart Ashton at [email protected] or visit the RecycleWorks webpage at juneau.org/engineering-public-works/recycleworks.

January 13th, 2026|

CBJ Recycling Center Remains Closed Until Midweek

Due to a lack of storage space and inability for new storage containers to be delivered during the winter storm, the City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ) Recycling Center will be closed through January 13. RecycleWorks staff will use that time to continue digging out from snow and making space for new material. The facility hopes open to the public on Wednesday, January 14.

CBJ will provide an update about the Recycling Center open hours on Tuesday, January 13. CBJ Household Hazardous Waste will open for normal operating hours on Thursday, January 15.

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For more information, contact RecycleWorks Manager Stuart Ashton at [email protected] or visit the RecycleWorks webpage at juneau.org/engineering-public-works/recycleworks.

January 12th, 2026|

CBJ Avalanche Advisory and Community Recovery Status Update

The City & Borough of Juneau (CBJ) is providing an operational and situational update regarding avalanche risk and community recovery efforts following the 2025–2026 Juneau Winter Storm. The following is an overview of current conditions, recent response actions, and what residents can expect moving forward.

Avalanche Evacuation Advisory Update – Behrends Path Evacuation Advisory Remains
Due to very high avalanche risk, CBJ issued an avalanche evacuation advisory on Friday, January 9, for all known slide paths. This decision was made with life safety as the highest priority. CBJ immediately opened an emergency shelter at Centennial Hall, which has served 45 individuals and approximately a dozen pets over the past two nights.

Working closely with Alaska DOT&PF and avalanche professionals, CBJ continues to monitor conditions across all known slide paths and has invested in additional monitoring and detection tools to improve situational awareness.

Changes to Evacuation Advisory

  • Avalanche hazard remains elevated across all areas.
  • The evacuation advisory remains in effect for the Behrends slide path. Residents are advised to stay out of the Behrends pathway and to continue avoiding travel and recreation in the Flume Trail area. Capital Transit will not be making stops between between the Federal Building and Bartlett Hospital until the evacuation advisory for this area is lifted.
  • The evacuation advisory has been lifted for all other known slide paths. Slide paths outside of the Behrends area have experienced enough natural avalanche activity that forecasters no longer consider them an imminent threat.

Centennial Hall will remain open as an emergency shelter while the evacuation advisory for the Behrends pathway remains in effect. Additional closures or evacuation advisories may be issued as more wet and windy weather is in the forecast.

Avalanche Conditions Outlook
CBJ Avalanche Advisor John Bressette emphasized that current conditions remain unpredictable.
“This winter’s snowpack and weather patterns are unusual for this area,” Bressette said. “While some monitored paths outside of Behrends show reduced hazard, the Behrends slide path continues to present significant risk.”

Bressette cautioned that the National Weather Service is forecasting rising freezing levels above 3,000 feet later this week, combined with 2–3 inches of rain—conditions that could trigger larger avalanches at higher elevations.

Schools and Facilities Update
CBJ structural engineers and the City Architect have worked continuously for more than a week, prioritizing schools and critical infrastructure. Hundreds of CBJ staff, contractors, and emergency response workers removed over 3 million pounds of snow from CBJ facilities where roof loads approached design capacity. All Juneau School District schools have been cleared for occupancy.

All CBJ facilities have also been inspected and approved for occupancy. All pools, libraries, and recreation facilities will reopen, and CBJ looks forward to welcoming residents back to these community spaces. CBJ will continue to monitor public facilities for impacts from the storm.

Infrastructure and Life Safety Efforts
Roads and Storm Drains

Rain on top of deep snow has resulted in significant roadway water accumulation, especially where storm drains remain buried. CBJ Streets crews continue working to locate and clear drains to reduce flooding hazards. If you observe or need assistance with a road drainage or flooding issue before 4:00 p.m., please contact CBJ Streets at (907) 586-5256. For issues after 4:00 p.m. please contact JPD’s non-emergency line at (907) 586-0600.

Fire Hydrants

The Borough has approximately 1,300 fire hydrants, and ensuring access to them is a critical life safety priority. Clearing hydrants requires heavy equipment to break up snow berms, followed by manual shoveling.

CBJ staff and contractors will be working tomorrow, January 12, to clear remaining hydrants. CBJ thanks residents who have worked to keep hydrants near their homes accessible during this these record-breaking snow conditions.

Residents are encouraged to remain vigilant, avoid hazardous areas, and sign up for CBJ Alerts at bit.ly/CBJalerts.

For questions and more information, please call CBJ Emergency Programs department at (907) 586-0371.

January 11th, 2026|
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