The Devil’s Butte Fire is now at 60% containment. Size of the fire is now listed at 2,865 acres. A Type III command team will remain on site for at least a couple of more days. Firefighters are continuing to look for hotspots and mop-up the fire area within 50 to 100 feet of the containment lines. Air resources remain available to assist ground crews if needed. There will continue to be potential of unburned pockets of fuels within the fire area to burn and produce smoke. Some residents are still without power in the fire area, but fire officials say work on restoring power to these properties is continuing. Highway 206 is open through the fire area, but motorists are asked to drive carefully as there will continue to be fire resources on the roadways.
Highway 14 Still Closed Through Tunnel Fire Area
Washington Highway 14 remains closed through the area of the Tunnel Fire. The Washington Department of Transportation indicates both directions of SR 14 between mileposts 56 and 63 will remain fully closed until further notice. Eastbound travelers should utilize the Bridge of the Gods to access I-84, then proceed towards the Hood River Bridge. Westbound travelers should take the Hood River Bridge to reach I-84 and continue towards the Bridge of the Gods. In addition, the Skamania County Public Works Department says Cook-Underwood Road is temporarily closed between mileposts 9 and 12.9. Only persons residing within this closure will be granted access until further notice.
FISH Food Bank Sees Increase In Clients
FISH Food Bank is seeing a steep increase in the numbers utilizing their services this summer. Board member Marianne Durkan says they broke their all-time record one recent evening with 82 families coming to their facility on Tucker Road in Hood River. She says there are numerous reasons for the usage increase, but it is taxing their inventory. To help FISH Food Bank keep their shelves stocked, donations can be made to fish-food-bank.com.
HR Health Department Offers Links To Smoke Readings
The Hood River County Health Department is offering help in protecting yourself and the interior of your home from wildfire smoke. Department Public Information Officer Daron Ryan says they are highlighting air quality monitors around the region that can help people monitor what the air quality is like. She says links on the Hood River County Health Department website can take people to the information. Ryan says there will be more sensors coming to get the data more specific at the neighborhood level.
The Dalles Taking Applications For Sidewalk Program
The City of the Dalles is now taking application for its Sidewalk Rehabilitation Cost-Share Program. The purpose of the program is to help property owners rehabilitate deteriorated sidewalks that are their responsibility, with grants of 50 to 80 percent of the project cost available, depending on the type of property and the income level of the owner. The City will consider applications for the rehabilitation or replacement of existing sidewalks as well as new sidewalks as part of a commercial redevelopment project. New sidewalks required for an approved building permit on a new or undeveloped lot are not eligible. Applicants for this program must be the property owner or authorized developer. Eligible projects must be completed by June 30, 2024. Applications will be funded on a first come, first eligible basis until funds run out. Property owners can download an application from the City website at thedalles.org, or call (541) 296-5401 to ask for a paper copy.
Boulder Fire At 232 Acres; Efforts Focused On Western Flank
The Boulder Fire is estimated to have burned 232 acres southeast of Mt. Hood on the Barlow Ranger District near Boulder Lake Trailhead. Mt. Hood National Forest officials say the fire is burning in dead and down debris located in steep, rugged terrain. Northwest Incident Management Team 10 Operations Section Chief Josh Riepe says they are focusing much of their efforts on the western flank of the fire to secure control line with hand crews and heavy equipment. Riepe says the fire has progressed easterly toward Boulder Creek as hand crews work to establish line. Aviation assets are being used on the north side of the fire.
Devil’s Butte Fire Estimated At Around 3,000 Acres
Size of the Devil’s Butte Fire in Gilliam County is now estimated at around 3,000 acres. The Gilliam County Sheriff’s Office says that estimate was made after aerial flights around the fire’s perimeter, adding containment remains unknown at this time. There is a slight wind today but so far not much growth in the fire perimeter. A Type III Overhead Interagency Team has arrived and set up camp at the Gilliam County Fairgrounds. Multiple ground resources from the Forest Service, Oregon Department of Forestry, Bureau of Land Management, and contractors are on the fire along with a strike team consisting of Umatilla County Fire District 1, North and South Gilliam County Fire, Boardman Fire and Heppner Fire. The Oregon State Fire Marshal’s office has mobilized a task force from Clackamas County to assist as well. One Type II helicopter is assisting on scene. Highway 206 was reopened this morning, but authorities advise caution while traveling through the area.
Type 4 Team Takes Command Of Tunnel 5 Fire
A Type 4 Incident Management Team assumed command of the Tunnel 5 Fire near Underwood. Many of the firefighting resources assigned to the fire that burned 529 acres, destroyed five homes, and damaged two others. Remaining fire crews and equipment will be utilized to patrol the fire area for the next several days as warmer temperatures and higher wind speeds return to the area throughout this week and pockets of interior fuels continue to be consumed. Smoke from this interior burning will be visible for some time to come. Washington Highway 14 remains closed between mile markers 56-65 due to safety hazards. Skamania County Sheriff Summer Scheyer will host a community meeting for those directly affected by the Tunnel 5 fire on Wednesday evening at 6:30 in the Underwood Community Center. It will also be streamed live on the Skamania County Sheriff’s Facebook page and via Zoom. Log-in details are available at skamaniasheriff.com.
HR Council Ratifies Fireworks Ban, May Consider Earlier Start Date
Hood River City Councilors ratified last week’s emergency declaration to establish a fireworks ban earlier than the statutory July 15 date due to hot, dry, and windy conditions, and briefly discussed considering a longer window of time to prohibit their use. City ordinances currently ban fireworks from July 15 to November 15. Councilor Megan Saunders said it’s worth a conversation about revising that time frame. Other councilors concurred, saying a discussion before next summer on the subject would be beneficial.
TD Council Approves Making Beautification Committee Permanent
The Dalles City Council approved converting the municipal beautification committee into a standing Tree and Beautification Committee. It’s operated on an ad hoc basis since 2019. City Manager Matthew Klebes says municipal staff and the current panel have been working on plans for the future, including development of a strategic plan. Klebes says no staffing changes are needed to make the beautification committee permanent.