Containment of the Cougar Creek Fire north of Glenwood remains at 60 percent, as crews continue building containment line along the north and west portions of the fire.  Whenever possible crews are using natural barriers and improving existing roads and dozer lines to minimize disturbing soil and vegetation.  Sections of completed containment line are being connected and mop up is occurring on many portions of the fire.  The south end of the fire is being patrolled to monitor the integrity of the completed fireline.  Dozers and felling teams continue to identify and mitigate fire line hazards, allowing ground personnel to access more areas of the fire.  The fire has burned 53,162 acres.

The Dalles Public Works Department has been operating valves within the City’s water distribution system to better utilize well water supplies.  But as a result, flow rates have changed in some water mains which has stirred up accumulated rust and sediments in certain areas.  Some customers have experienced colored water or dirty-looking water due to these changes.  City crews are flushing the system to correct the issue.  If you are experiencing discolored water, the Public Works Department recommends letting the water run for several minutes until clear.  If the water does not clear, please contact The Dalles Public Works office at 541-296-5401, Extension 2001.

Nine smokejumpers jumped into the area north of Mount Adams Lake by parachute to help in the effort to fully contain the Cougar Creek Fire.  The smokejumpers, based out of north central Washington, went into a section of the fire with very steep and rugged terrain that makes access and suppression of the fire very difficult.  The smokejumpers are building direct containment line along the north and northwest section of the fire.  Dozers, hand crews, and fellers are continuing to improve contingency lines along Potato Hill Road.   The containment of the fire has increased to 60 percent, while size has been decreased to 53,162 acres due to more accurate GPS base mapping.  Although cloudy skies and cooler temperatures have helped moderate fire activity, fuels remain extremely dry.  Dead and down surface fuels will burn actively and heavy fuels will retain plenty of heat.

The Hood River County School District has a long-range facilities planning effort that is underway.  Superintendent Dan Goldman says the district has a number of aging facilities along with capacity issues, in particular in the lower valley.  A facilities planning advisory committee made up of citizens, business owners, government leaders and school district personnel from across the county will be put together this fall to examine data collected over the last four months and make priority recommendations.  Goldman says they have a bond issue about to come off the books, and a new bond issue could qualify for some state matching funds.

The Dalles City Council discussed alternatives for planned upgrades to the municipal wastewater treatment plant at a Monday worksession.  After hearing about a number of different alternatives from project consultants Kennedy/Jenks and Mortensen Construction, Councilors were leaning toward what was presented as a preferred alternative, which was not the lowest cost plan but would offer the potential to generate electricity needed to operate the plant.  The estimated full project cost was over 15 million dollars, but Mayor Steve Lawrence noted it could be the most cost efficient.  City Public Works Director Dave Anderson told the Council with increases in the municipal wastewater revenues thanks to an increase in users, there is enough money to pay for the first phase of the project without going out for a bond, noting the possibility energy generation portions of the project could receive funding from outside sources.  The Council will decide whether to move to the 80 percent design phase of the project at meeting in late September or October.

There will be a new addition to the front of Hood River Middle School.  A temporary boiler system is being brought in to replace the school’s 98-year-old boiler that suffered a catastrophic failure in June.  Superintendent Dan Goldman says the temporary system will have to be placed at the front of the school along May Street because the boiler room is located there.  He adds with the age of the entire system, it will be a very complex and expensive fix.  Goldman did say the district has the money to cover the replacement without dipping into the general fund.  But he also noted the district has the same type of boiler of the same vintage at Parkdale Elementary School.

A new management team is at the helm of the Cougar Creek Fire northwest of Glenwood.  A team from Southern California took command on Monday, relieving a Washington team.  The fire remains listed as 60 percent contained, and has burned 54,000 acres.  Though the south end of the fire received a wetting rain over the weekend, the rain did not penetrate the canopy in the northern portion of the fire.  Those areas continue to dry out as the effects of the rain dissipate over the next few days.  As vegetation continues to dry out smoke will become more visible and fire activity may pick up.  Hand crews continue to build direct containment line along the north and northwest section of the fire while continuing to improve contingency lines along Potato Hill Road.

Wasco County Sheriff’s Officers arrested a man after he barricaded himself inside a residence on Cherry Heights Road on Saturday evening.  According to Chief Deputy Lane Magill, 57-year-old John Dale Heebink exited the house and was taken into custody after several hours, during which time The Dalles City Police Special Emergency Response Team tried to make contact with Heebink utilizing a loud speaker and deployed tear gas into the residence.  Residents living at the home on 5973 Cherry Heights Road were safely removed from the property at the beginning of the incident.  Officers obtained a search warrant to enter the house.  Heebink has been charged with unlawful use of a weapon and menacing, and is lodged at NORCOR.

Mediation will take place to attempt to figure out how to move forward with a land trade between the U.S. Forest Service and Mount Hood Meadows.  The Hood River Valley Residents Committee earlier this summer filed suit in federal court to try to move along the trade.  Congress in 2009 gave the Forest Service 16 months to complete the trade of 770 acres of land near Cooper Spur owned by Mount Hood Meadows for 120 acres of developable national forest land near Government Camp, but numerous delays have held it up, most recently over some environmental protections.  Hood River Valley Residents Committee Executive Director Heather Staten says the mediation will focus on a conservation easement over wetlands on the Government Camp parcels.  A requirement for a conservation easement was included in the Act at the request of environmental groups, including the Residents Committee, but Staten says the Forest Service has proposed restrictions far in excess of what was contemplated by the conservation groups, which in turn may drive down the value of the parcel in Government Camp.  Mt. Hood Meadows has balked at the terms of the proposed easement.  The mediation is set to take place in the next 30 days.  

Court Street in The Dalles from 3rd to 4th and from 5th to 10th Street will be closed on Monday to profile off the old surface.  Repaving is planned for September 1.  During that time no access or on-street parking will be allowed.  Detours will be posted on Union Street to the west and Kelly Avenue to 8th Street on the east side.  Work is estimated to be done between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. both days.  Also on Monday, The Dalles Public Works will be smoke testing a section of the City’s sanitary sewer system.   Work will begin at 7:30 a.m. in the area of Jefferson Street between 2nd and 3rd Streets.  The purpose is to identify connections between the storm and sanitary sewer systems, and to detect leaks.  A non-toxic “smoke” material will be injected into the pipeline in question and may be visible coming out of building vents, manhole covers, or breaks in the pipe during the testing.