Record dry weather causing fire concerns

Petersburg has moved from its wettest April on record to what’s looking to be its driest May.

Despite rain Wednesday and more precipitation forecasted for today (Thursday), this May is “definitely still looking like it’ll be the driest,” said meteorologist Geri Swanson with the National Weather Service (NWS) in Juneau.

Petersburg still had less than 0.3 inches of rain Wednesday afternoon, and was expecting less than a 10th of an inch with the day and Thursday’s forecast — the area’s “best chances” for rain before moving back into a high pressure system, Swanson noted.

“It’s looking fairly dry”...