The Dalles City Council got an update from Public Works and consultants on progress on a Water Systems Master Plan set to be adopted by the end of the year, focusing on a capital improvement plan and rates necessary to pay for the work. Twelve different projects were identified as needing to be done in the next decade, including replacement and expansion of the Wicks water treatment plant and reservoir. Consultant Brian Ginter of Consor Engineering says Wicks tops the list for a number of reasons, including proceeding with aquifer storage recovery projects and delaying an eventual raise of the Crow Creek Dam. Rates were also discussed, with increases needed to pay for necessary system improvements, but how much would depend on other potential revenue sources. The Council is expected to receive a fully developed Water Systems Master Plan in the fall.
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Williams Mine Fire Containment Up To 10%
The Williams Mine Fire northwest of Trout Lake moved up to 10% containment, with acreage burned also up to 11,696. Spencer Gregory with Northwest Complex Incident Management Team 13 Field Operations says they feel good about protection of the southern and eastern areas of the fire. To the north, Gregory says they are still looking for opportunities to add containment line in rugged terrain. One of the obstacles is dealing with large amounts of downed snags in a fire scar. The possibility of showers moving through the fire area is expected to run from this evening into Thursday, so conditions will not be conducive to fire behavior, though there will be smoldering on the surface that may create visible smoke.
Whisky Creek Fire Holds Steady
Size of the Whisky Creek Fire southeast of Cascade Locks in the Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness remains at 2,057 acres, while containment is still at 9%. Northwest Complex Incident Management Team 10 Operations Section Chief Cary Neu says crews continue to focus on the eastern perimeter of the fire. Significant progress was made on containment lines around spot fires near Black Lake, further increasing confidence those areas will hold. Mastication was completed on Forest Roads 630 and 650 was finished, while it continues to progress along Forest Road 2810. Firefighters scouted the terrain near Wahtum Lake for possible contingency lines.
Williams Mine Fire Stays At 5% Containment
The Williams Mine Fire northwest of Trout Lake remains at 5% containment, with 11,555 acres burned. Northwest Complex Incident Management Team 13 Field Operations Trainee Jon Campbell says they have made lots of good progress. He says much of their focus is on the northwest corner moving around to the south. Campbell added more direct line is being put in on the east side of the fire. Washington Department of Natural Resources managed lands near Trout Lake and Glenwood, and the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Tract D Recreation Area are closed due to the fire. Level 1 & 2 evacuations are in effect for the community of Trout Lake, and parts of Klickitat County.
Whisky Creek Fire Size Up To 2,057 Acres
Size of the Whisky Creek Fire southeast of Cascade Locks in the Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness has moved up by 84 acres to 2,057, while containment remains at 9%. Northwest Complex Incident Management Team 10 Operations Section Chief Cary Neu says crews have been focusing their efforts on the east and southeast areas of the fire. Hand crews are scouting the southern portions of the perimeter for opportunities to limit the size of the fire footprint. Heavy equipment operations continue on Forest Roads 630 and 2820. Neu added that while Saturday night’s heavy rains quieted down the fire somewhat, they did not get as much on the ground as they hoped, and fire activity could increase as conditions dry out.
MCCFL To Refocus Behavioral Health Response Due To OHA Changes
Mid-Columbia Center for Living says it will be refocusing its crisis response from emergency department behavioral health response to community response over the next two months. Center For Living executive director Al Barton says the change is occurring because of changes the Oregon Health Authority has made to the rules that govern Community Mental Health Programs. Under the new rules, those programs must provide two-person mobile crisis response teams available 24/7 to respond to behavioral health crises in the community. The two-person teams are supposed to provide more robust support for people in crisis while increasing the safety of responders and reducing the need for law enforcement involvement in non-violent situations. Hospitals will continue to be responsible to provide behavioral health treatment in hospital emergency rooms but will need to provide their own staff to perform behavioral health assessments and discharge planning. Barton says for individuals who are admitted to the emergency rooms, they plan to partner with hospitals to transition crisis evaluations, support, and safety planning to professionals employed by the hospitals.
Hood River Schools Look For Bus Drivers
As the Hood River County School District prepares to begin classes next week, there are still opportunities for those willing to drive a school bus or van. District Superintendent Bill Newton says they have a pair of driving needs: bus drivers and van drivers. Van drivers do not require a commercial drivers’ license. Newton says they have enough drivers for day-to-day transport to schools, but when extended field trips and school athletics get started, the district runs short. He says that leads them to use charters, which are more costly than using the district’s own buses. If you’re interested in becoming a school bus driver, contact the Hood River County School District to apply through the district website, hoodriver.k12.or.us, and click on jobs.
Port of Hood River Considers How To Prevent Height-Related Accidents
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.
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.