Containment for the Rowena Fire was put at 96% on Sunday. Fire officials say crews on Sunday addressed the few remaining areas of suppression repair while the majority began to demobilize and travel home. In the coming week, the Type 3 team will transition out and hand the fire back to local resources. A plan of action has been formed to meet the remaining containment needs for local resources to patrol and monitor. Interior smoke may be present for several weeks if hidden hotspots emerge under heat or wind. Size of the fire has been estimated at 3,600 acres, while the cause remains under investigation. Cost to battle the fire was placed at over $9.23 million.
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Mt. Adams And Cascade To Be Subject Of Intersection Evaluation
An Intersection Control Evaluation is going to be added to work on planning a roundabout at the intersection of Mt. Adams Drive and Cascade Avenue on the west side of Hood River. It’s being done at the behest of the Oregon Department of Transportation, which has declared that location a “failed intersection.” City Manager Abigail Elder says this is important to address to provide the opportunity for housing development nearby. The evaluation process will be a collaborative process with the state traffic engineer. It will determine the most appropriate form of traffic control at the intersection given the benefits of each alternative and the right-of-way, environmental, cost, and other constraints.
Dallesport Water Gets $185,000 Grant From Landfill Gas Improvement Fund
The Dallesport Water District will be receiving a $185,000 grant from Klickitat PUD’s Landfill Gas Improvement Fund. Klickitat County Commissioner Todd Andrews says it will be used to provide the system larger ATEC capacity to filter out iron and manganese from Dallesport water. The water district needs to do the work to meet a state requirement. Klickitat County’s public works department will provide assistance in procuring the equipment and installation.
Wasco County Commission Approves Emergency Declaration
The Wasco County Commission on Wednesday formally approved an emergency declaration for the Rowena Fire. County Emergency Management Services Manager Sheridan McClellan told the Commission the declaration is necessary to facilitate clean-up after the fire. The declaration is intended to help secure funding from state and federal agencies to support comprehensive clean-up efforts, and provide resources to affected residents like safe drinking water, temporary housing, and support for rebuilding in areas impacted by contamination. Wasco County Commission Chair Scott Hege says there are a lot of needs as a result of the fire, and it will take time to get them all.
Evacuations Whittled Down To Level 1 Advisories
The list of evacuation advisories issued by the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office in the Rowena Fire area was reduced further Wednesday to a pair of Level 1 “Be Ready” advisories. Rowena Ferry Road southwest to Highway 30, south to the intersection of Highway 30 and Dell Road, and Rowena Ferry Road east to Tooley Lake and the Simonelli Road, Basalt Road, and Adeline Way neighborhood, north to Highway 30, have been downgraded from Level 2 to Level 1. All previous Level 1 advisories have been lifted.
Protection Recommended In Fire Zone
Wasco County officials are strongly recommending people going back to their homes in the Rowena Fire zone to have personal protective equipment because of toxic chemicals in the debris. Sheriff Lane Magill says there is asbestos and other harmful toxins on the properties, so an M95 mask is necessary, and a Tyvek suit and gloves are also recommended. Magill says the County is working to get more of those kind of resources available to property owners in the fire area, and a team has been put together to work with state and federal officials to make that happen.
Rowena Fire Containment At 53%
Containment of the Rowena Fire has moved up to 53%, with the size now listed at 3,700 acres. Adam Sinkey of Oregon Department of Forestry Incident Management Team 2 said infrared crews on Tuesday night were looking for any remaining heat around houses and along Milepost 30 to get them mopped up. Sinkey says suppression repair is also being done. The southern edge of the fire has up to 150 feet of cold, black line, with other parts of the fire up to 100 feet deep. As the situation improves, more crews are being demobilized and are either returning to their home districts or being reassigned to other fires in need of support. The ODF management team is also preparing to turn over fire command to local authorities.
Well Repair Lifts The Dalles Water Advisory
The Dalles Public Works Department has lifted a water use advisory issued two weeks ago. The advisory to limit outdoor water use was issued because two of the City’s three wells that are used to meet summer demands were out of service due to unexpected mechanical failures. The Public Works Department says one of the wells is back in service, allowing the advisory to be removed. Chenowith Water PUD customers were not affected by the advisory. Those with questions can call The Dalles Public Works at 541-296-5401.
White Salmon Schools Finishing Budget Work
With the Washington legislative session in the rearview mirror, the White Salmon Valley School District is now finishing work on its budget for the 2025-26 school year. District Superintendent Rich Polkinghorn says they are developing a maintenance-level budget. With declining enrollment, the district is reducing its staff by two-and-a-half full-time equivalent positions, but Polkinghorn says that is being achieved through attrition. He says the budget should go to the district board in July.
WAGAP Launching Driving Scholarship For Youth
Washington Gorge Action Programs is launching the Driving Leadership Scholarship, designed to support young leaders from low-income households in Klickitat and Skamania Counties by removing transportation as a key barrier to growth. The scholarship provides full tuition for a local driver’s education course, to help youth gain the freedom and mobility they need to pursue leadership, job opportunities, education, and community engagement In addition to meeting eligibility criteria, applicants are asked to share what they are passionate about, how they want to lead, and how access to driving would help them reach their goals. Applications are open to youth ages 15 to 18 who live in Klickitat or Skamania County and who qualify for free or reduced lunch or other school fee waivers. Essays and the parent acknowledgment form can be submitted in English or Spanish and should be 500 to 750 words. The deadline to apply is July 8. For application information go to wagap.org.