Repairs from the early summer’s semi-truck accident on the Hood River/White Salmon Interstate Bridge that damaged six overhead beams are complete, so now the Port of Hood River is considering whether anything can be done to ensure it does not happen again. Port Executive Director Kevin Greenwood says they are looking to see if some kind of trigger can be installed to alert truck drivers. Greenwood says they have received the suggestion of a bar that a large truck would hit to alert them, but he notes that during the June accident, the driver did not know the excavator being towed was damaging the beams.
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One Injured In Highway 14 Accident
A man from The Dalles was injured in a two-car accident Friday afternoon on Highway 14 east of Bingen. According to the Washington State Patrol, a pickup truck driven by a 38-year-old man from The Dalles was stopped on eastbound Highway 14 at milepost 67 behind another vehicle waiting to make a left-hand turn at approximately 4:20 on Friday afternoon when a car struck the pickup from behind. The driver of the pickup was not hurt, but the driver of the car, a 29-year-old man from The Dalles, was taken to Skyline Hospital in White Salmon with undisclosed injuries. The WSP says both of the vehicles involved were totaled.
Williams Mine Fire At 4,147 Acres; Management Team Brought In
The Williams Mine Fire on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest west of Mt. Adams is now listed as 4,147 acres in size, and it continues to burn in heavy timber. Minnesota Incident Command Team C took command of this fire Thursday morning. Crews continue to clear brush and other vegetation along the fire perimeter to strengthen the line, with air support used when needed to cool areas of the fire to allow firefighters to safely work. The Mt. Adams Wilderness area is closed along with the Pacific Crest Trail between Williams Mine and Potato Head. Level 3 “Go Now” evacuation orders are in effect for areas north and east of Trout Lake in Klickitat County, and the Forest Service 23 Road, north of Trout Lake, and the Takhlakh Lake area in Skamania County. South and west of Trout Lake is under a Level 2 “Get Set” evacuation advisory. Evacuation advisory details and maps are available on the websites and Facebook pages for Skamania County Emergency Management and Klickitat County Emergency Management. A community meeting on this fire is scheduled for Thursday evening at 7 p.m. at the Trout Lake Grange.
All Evacuation Advisories Lifted For Microwave Tower Fire
Crews continue to monitor the few remaining smoldering hotspots within the interior of the Microwave Tower Fire. Containment remains at 89%, with the size at 1,313 acres. The Wasco County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday afternoon that all remaining evacuation advisories for the fire have been lifted. Fire officials say the interior smoke may increase within the fire as temperatures increase and low humidity remains. Work continues to repair hand and dozer lines, roads, and trails used during firefighting activities. Disturbed areas will be returned to a more natural state, allowing for faster revegetation. The Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail and some roads remained closed, and the public is asked to respect those closures to allow firefighters to work safely.
Whisky Creek Fire At 1,447 Acres
Officials say efforts on the Whisky Creek Fire in the Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness southeast of Cascade Locks are going well. The fire has burned 1,447 acres, and there is no containment figure. Fire officials say they plan to use ignitions to strengthen the control lines on the east side of the fire, taking advantage of predicted east winds. Firing operations will also occur on the south side of the fire to prevent spread outside of the Wilderness. Contingency line construction is continuing from Wahtum Lake to Hood River. Crews also plan to construct indirect line, often using existing features such as trails, roads, natural barriers, and the Eagle Creek burn area, to contain fire to the smallest footprint possible.
Woman Missing After Not Returning To Camp In Pinchot Forest
The Skamania County Sheriff’s Office says a 58-year-old Native American woman was reported missing after not returning to her camp over the weekend in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest near the Sawtooth Berry Fields. According to the Sheriff’s Office, Victoria Atkins did not return to camp at a pre-arranged time on Saturday, and after her friends searched for her the rest of the weekend, reported her missing to Yakama Tribal Police after returning to the Yakima area on Monday. Skamania County Search and Rescue searched on Tuesday and Wednesday with fixed-winged aircraft, infrared, and ground searches, and but could not locate the woman. Atkins is five-feet-five inches tall, and weighs 120 pounds, with brown eyes and gray hair. She was last seen wearing a black sweater, blue jeans or sweatpants, and a “colorful” tank top. The Sheriff’s Office says search efforts for Atkins have been suspended temporarily, but will resume in another coordinated, large-scale effort to locate her.
Updated Washington Primary Vote Counts Show No Major Changes
No major changes Wednesday after the latest vote counts in Washington’s top two primary election. Most local offices had only two candidates, but others had competition to advance. There were seven running for Skamania County Commission District 2, with Rob Farris at 340 votes after Wednesday’s update and Mary Repar at 241. Joshua Good is third with 230, with four others trailing. In the Congressional races, 4th District incumbent Dan Newhouse was trailing another Republican, Jerrod Sessler, by over 6,000 votes, but has a nearly 5,000 vote lead over a third Republican, Tiffany Smiley, to get on the November ballot. Incumbent Democrat Marie Glusenkamp Perez and Republican Joe Kent were easily advancing in the 3rd Congressional District. In Washington State House District 17 for position 2…Democrat Terri Niles had about 48 percent of the vote to lead, while David Stuebe had a 650 vote lead for second over fellow Republican Hannah Joy. In House District 14, for position 1, Democrat Chelsea Dimas topped the count with about 37 percent of the vote, while Gloria Mendoza had a 98 vote lead over the other Republican in the race, Andy Kallinen. The candidates for position 2 in District 14 are determined, with Republican Deb Manjarrez and Democrat Ana Ruiz Kennedy easily outpacing Eddie Perez, who listed no party preference. Home Valley Water District’s Maintenance and Capital Improvement Levy was being approved 66 to 39. Skamania County will update its ballot count today, while Klickitat County will do so on Friday.
Williams Mine Fire At About 3,000 Acres
The Williams Mine Fire on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest west of Mt. Adams experienced significant growth overnight and is now estimated to be approximately 3,000 acres in size. Forest officials say the wind-driven fire moved primarily south. Multiple local resources will continue aggressively working the fire today. The fire is burning on steep ground in heavy timber. Warm temperatures are expected over the fire area, but winds are projected to be light. The Mt. Adams Wilderness area, Forest Service Road 23, the South Climb trailhead, and the Pacific Crest Trail between Williams Mine and Potato Head are all closed. Level 3 “Go Now” evacuation orders are in effect for areas north and east of Trout Lake in Klickitat County, and the Forest Service 23 Road, north of Trout Lake, and the Takhlakh Lake area in Skamania County. South and west of Trout Lake is under a Level 2 “Get Set” evacuation advisory. Evacuation advisory details and maps are available on the websites and Facebook pages for Skamania County Emergency Management and Klickitat County Emergency Management. The fire was sparked by lightning. An incident management team is being brought in.
Whisky Creek Firing Operations Successful
Firing operations were successful on Tuesday in the southeast corner of the Whisky Creek Fire in the Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness southeast of Cascade Locks. Crews were able to construct fireline down to the old Eagle Creek burn scar and connect to established control lines in the northeast part of the fire. Helicopters dropped water along the southeastern edge of the fire to cool the area down and reduce fire spread. Today crews will be improving existing handlines on the western side of the fire, and monitor and hold lines on the east and southeast flanks were firing operations took place on Tuesday. Warmer and drier weather expected tomorrow may increase fire intensity, but forecasted light winds will reduce likely rates of speed.
Interior Pockets Continue To Burn At Microwave Tower Fire
Pockets of vegetation and debris continue to burn within the perimeter of the Microwave Tower Fire, continuing to produce smoke that may be visible from Interstate 84. Containment remains at 89%, with the size at 1,313 acres. Rising temperatures coupled with low relative humidity may contribute to a slight increase in fire activity within its interior. Along the steep northern section, as vegetation burns it can break loose, roll downhill, and ignite additional material. Crews are monitoring and extinguishing hot spots where accessible by hand or utilizing a system of hose lays and sprinklers. The Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail remains closed.