The U.S. Small Business Administration announced the availability of low interest federal disaster loans to small businesses, private nonprofits and residents to offset physical and economic losses from the Rowena Fire. The declaration covers Hood River, Wasco, Sherman, Wheeler, and Klickitat counties. Businesses and nonprofits are eligible to apply for business physical disaster loans and may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets. Homeowners and renters are eligible to apply for home and personal property loans and may borrow up to $100,000 to replace or repair personal property, and up to $500,000 to replace or repair their primary residence. Applicants may be eligible for a loan increase of up to 20% of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for aquaculture enterprises. SBA customer service representatives will be at the Gloria Center in The Dalles on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and appointments are available at appointment.sba.gov. To apply online, visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955.
Providence To Hold Mass Casualty Drill
Providence Hood River’s Emergency Department will hold a mass casualty drill on July 31 at Jackson Park. The scenario will be a bus crash involving adolescents, made up with fake wounds and blood. Elements of the drill will include triage, trauma team response, hospital command center activation, and first responder participation. Emergency vehicles will transport the kids to the hospital’s emergency room. Hospital spokesperson Susan Frost says they are trying to get the word out to the community the drill will take place to avoid people seeing it and thinking that it is a real accident, and spreading misinformation on social media. The mass casualty drill will take place on July 31 at 10 a.m.
Complex Management Team Taking Command Of Burdoin Fire
The Burdoin Fire was active once again on Sunday, growing to 10,730 acres.
Complex Incident Management Team Northwest 13 assumed command of the fire this morning.
They report the fire is primarily moving to the north and northeast in steep terrain. Multiple scooper aircraft and helicopters are supporting ground work with strategic water drops to cool the fire’s forward edge.
The Columbia River is the aircraft’s primary water source, and recreationalists should be extra cautions between the Port of The Dalles and White Salmon.
Fire officials say a slop over on Lyle Snowden Road was halted Sunday, and overnight tactical ignition operations around a spot fire to the east were successful.
Crews are continuing today to work in the Catherine Creek drainage while an interagency hotshot crew scouts potential lines to tie in to Major Creek.
On the northwest edge of the fire, a combination of hand and dozer line is holding, making it a secure point for ground crews to engage the fire.
Cooler temperatures and higher humidity are helping to moderate fire behavior, but it is still burning actively.
Evacuation levels have not changed. The Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office and Klickitat County Emergency Management are continuing discussions to develop a plan on when and how to coordinate allowing residents back into the burned area. For up-to-date information on closures and reopening follow their Facebook page or website. The two agencies are discussing a plan on when and how to coordinate allowing residents back into the burned area.
The Red Cross emergency shetler in White Salmon has been moved to Grace Baptist Church on 1280 West Jewett, while a second shelter at The Dalles Middle School remains open.
Highway 14 remains closed from mile marker 66, east of Bingen to mile marker 76, west of Lyle. Other closures include Highway 142 from Highway 14 north to mile post 5, and Centerville Highway from Highway 14 to Centerville, Snowden Road at Bill Moore, the Snowden cutoff, Four Corners, and Sleepy Hollow.
The Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office and Klickitat County Emergency
Fire officials over the weekend reported 37 primary structures having been damaged, and 14 destroyed. Thirty other minor structures were listed as destroyed, and 50 damaged.
Officials reported one firefighter was transported to a hospital on Saturday for treatment of an undisclosed injury.
Barnard Named Interim May Street School Principal
The Hood River County School District has appointed Dan Barnard as the interim principal of May Street Elementary School for the upcoming 2025-26 academic year. Barnard, who was initially slated to serve as assistant principal. Barnard has 19 years of experience in education, including 13 years as an elementary teacher, primarily in fourth and fifth grades. For the past four years, he has served as assistant principal at Westside Elementary. The school district will continue its search for a permanent principal for May Street, with the position expected to be posted early in the hiring season in February 2026. Additionally, the district will be posting the opening for an interim assistant principal for the 2025-2026 school year at the beginning of next week.
12th & Thompson To Be Closed For Construction
Starting Monday, the intersection of 12th & Thompson will be closed for demolition and American with Disabilities Act construction. The intersection will be closed during working hours and reopened during the night. Closures are expected to be periodic as the phases of work commence. In other project news, contractor Crestline has installed the storm infrastructure along with adjustment of existing water meter services. The additional width of 12th St has started to take shape with the construction of multiple retaining walls allowing for future on street parking. Excavation of the north lane will commence mid to late next week between Thompson and Morton St as it is removed and rebuilt in preparation for the new curb and gutter along with the asphalt base. Concrete curb and gutter installation is scheduled to start in late July with sidewalk and driveways immediately following.
Agencies Recommend Rowena Fire Homeowners Not Do Cleanup Themselves
The Oregon Department of Emergency Management, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, and Wasco County are continuing to strongly recommend property owners not perform cleanup themselves because of serious toxic hazard threats posed by burned homes and outbuildings. The agencies say burned materials are hazardous and require more than gloves and a mask to protect health. Buildings constructed before 2004 are likely to contain asbestos, which is carcinogenic. If residents do decide to their own clean-up, they should wear appropriate personal protective equipment. Wear sturdy shoes, eye goggles, heavy-duty work gloves and an N95 mask when inspecting damage, watch for hazards such as unstable structures, ash pits, smoldering debris and electrical hazards including downed power lines, and take photos of damage for insurance and recovery documentation. Also, avoid bringing ash from the outside to the inside, keep indoor spaces clean from ash, and minimize other pollutants. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is providing technical assistance and coordinating with subject matter experts to support safe debris management.
Air Quality Monitors Take Readings In Rowena
Wasco County says government contractors set up multiple air quality monitors throughout the area impacted by the Rowena Fire. The monitors captured air quality data on Wednesday to be sent for analysis by a toxicologist. Monitors were to be removed Thursday. Meanwhile, The Dalles Disposal will return to normal collection routes and service locations for its Rowena and Highway 30 customers on Friday. And there will be no Multi-Agency Resource Center event this week. Wasco County says they will resume next week.
Resolution Center Dealt Setback
The Oregon Health Authority has dealt a setback to efforts to establish a mental health and substance abuse Resolution Center in the Mid-Columbia. The proposed center has four components including residential mental health and substance abuse treatment. But Wasco County Commissioner Phil Brady says a federal rule dating back to the 1960’s preventing Medicaid funds from being used for mental health facilities unless it is sixteen beds or less, and local officials sought a waiver based on that. The proposed Resolution Center would have met that requirement, but the OHA says using one administrative structure for the facility and putting all the components on one site would not permit a waiver. Brady says it is unclear what the options are from here. He adds they are hoping federal officials will consider changing the rules, noting it is a nationwide issue that other areas are facing.
HR County Joins Calls For Special Session On Transportation
Hood River County is part of the chorus of local government officials hoping for a special session of the Oregon Legislature to put together a transportation package after the recent regular session ended without one. County Administrator Allison Williams says the transportation package is about more than the Oregon Department of Transportation. It’s also a relationship between the state, counties, and cities, and the local governments continue to fall further behind in maintaining roadways. Williams says the County is hearing concerns from citizens about the level of maintenance and safety for the roadways. She adds Hood River County is already dipping into reserves to put together its current road maintenance program.
Klickitat County Commission Approves EOZ Amendments
Klickitat County Commissioners approved amendments for its Energy Overlay Zone to deal with solar developments and battery energy storage systems. A committee and the Planning Commission made the recommendations to change industrial scale solar development and battery energy storage systems to conditional uses while a more formal ordinance is developed. Planning Director Scott Edelman says this will not stop applications for these projects, but does add a layer of review. He also said it will give the County a better chance of defending areas where such developments are prohibited when applicants go to state Energy Facilities Siting Council. Edelman added an ordinance should reach the Planning Commission for a hearing in September or October, and then would come before the County Commission.