The White River Fire on the Mount Hood National Forest about eight miles west of Sportsman’s Park is now 150 acres in size.  The U.S. Forest Service says the fire started Monday in the White River drainage near Forest Road 48.  Hand crews with support from a dozer operator are establishing fire line.  Water drops from helicopters have been critical by minimizing the fire’s spread while line is being constructed.  A spot fire was located ½ mile east of the main fire.  Smoke has primarily been carried eastward toward Rock Creek Reservoir and Wamic.  Approximately 60 firefighters are working the fire.  Road closures are in place, including Forest Road 48 (White River Rd) from Forest Road 43 east to Forest Road 4880, Forest Road 3530 (Barlow Rd) from Forest Road 43 east to Forest Creek Campground, and Forest Road 4890 from Forest Road 4880 to Forest Road 48.  Rock Creek Campground is open, but access should be made from the east.

Wasco County Commissioners have approved providing $50,000 towards completing work on the Riverfront Trail Repair and Maintenance Project.  Members of the Riverfront Trail board said the City of The Dalles had already provided $100,000, the Port of The Dalles and Northern Wasco County Parks and Recreation District $50,000 apiece, and $28,000 was acquired through fundraising efforts.  Parks and Rec District Executive Director Scott Baker told the Commission this is a long-term investment, noting community support for the Trail.  The Trail committee is still awaiting word on a request to Google for a $37,700 grant that would complete funding for the project.

Youth livestock auctions for 4-H and F-F-A members in Klickitat, Wasco, and Skamania counties are taking place this week and next, replacing auctions that would have been held during county fairs cancelled by the COVID-19 pandemic.  The Klickitat County auction begins Thursday at 9 a.m. and continues until Friday at 6 p.m., the Wasco County auction starts Saturday at 2 p.m. and runs until Sunday at noon, and the Skamania County auction starts Sunday at 9 a.m. and continues through next Friday at 5 p.m.  Auction Sales Company is hosting both events, and bidders can take part by going to auctionsalesco.com.  The livestock sale provides the 4-H and F-F-A exhibitors with money to put towards college, invest in their own livestock herds, and recover costs of their projects.

Child care providers are getting some new guidelines for operation that will go into effect on September 1.  Nancy Patton of Columbia Gorge Community College’s Child Care Partners says sizes of groups will go back to regular licensing sizes, but providers will still be required to have stable groups, prioritize essential workers, and there will be additional health and safety standards.  Patton says in Wasco County there are 32 vacancies operations as emergency child care with 32 vacancies.  She told Wasco County Commissioners parents looking for child care should call the 2-1-1 line for referrals.  Patten adds 2-1-1 also allows local child care needs to be tracked to help locate new providers.  

Transfer of command of the Mosier Creek Fire went back to The Dalles Unit of the Oregon Department of Forestry on Wednesday morning.  Crews over the last few days have been securing control lines.  The Wasco County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday afternoon that the Level 2 evacuation advisory area surrounding the fire perimeter has been lowered to Level 1, and all previous Level 1 advisories have now been lifted.  ODF officials say there will continue to be firefighters working in the area to complete further tasks in the mopping up process.  It remains an active fire area and heavy equipment and periods of heavy traffic should be expected.  ODF asks the public to refrain from visiting the area, as fire weakened trees and hot ash pits can be hazardous.

The Hood River County Health Department has experienced an active workplace outbreak of COVID-19.  According to a statement from the department, they remain staffed to take calls and provide essential services by appointment.  Staff working in the department building are not on isolation or quarantine.  An outbreak is defined as a worksite with two or more cases that are not household contacts.  When five or more cases are identified and connected to one facility, the Oregon Health Authority releases that information in its weekly report.  A new report comes out Wednesday.  

The re-openings of Multnomah Falls Lodge, the Historic Columbia River Highway’s waterfall corridor, and a number of other recreation sites in the western part of the Gorge has gone well after one week.  Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Manager Lynn Burditt told Wasco County Commissioners that safety measures at those locations have led to smooth operations so far.  She added it will be easier to access the Multnomah Falls parking lot from the eastern part of the Gorge with the opening of Exit 31 from westbound Interstate 84 by the Oregon Department of Transportation.  Burditt also said a ticketing reservation system for Multnomah Falls is being developed, and hopefully will be ready in the next few weeks.

A California woman died in a one-vehicle accident on Highway 97 in Sherman County on Monday.  According to the Oregon State Police, a car driven by 23-year-old Lorraine Aubrey of Yreka, California was southbound on Highway 97 near milepost 31 at around 4:13 p.m. Monday when it crossed into the northbound lane, left the roadway, and rolled several times.  Aubrey was flown to a local hospital before being transported to a Portland area hospital, where she was pronounced deceased.  The South Sherman Fire Department, Sherman County Sheriff’s Office, and the Oregon Department of Transportation assisted the OSP at the accident.

Klickitat County Public Health Director Erinn Quinn says there are very few test results remaining to be received in regard to an outbreak at a farm near White Salmon.  Quinn said they have had 40 positive COVID-19 tests as a result of the outbreak, which she says officials believe has been contained to that operation.  But Quinn adds that will be learned over the next seven to 10 days if there was spread outside of that specific community.  Quinn did say the outbreak does impact the ability to get students back in schools, as it pushed Klickitat County outside of state guidance for case ratios to allow schools to have in-person learning.  Quinn said other than this outbreak, Klickitat County’s COVID-19 numbers have been fairly steady with one or two positive tests per day.

An approximately two-acre wildland fire on Oakridge Drive off of Old Dalles Road in the east hills of the Hood River Valley was brought under control Monday evening.  The Hood River County Sheriff’s Office said fire crews from multiple jurisdictions were involved in limiting the size of the fire.  The Oregon Department of Forestry’s incident management team at the Mosier Creek Fire sent five engines, one hand crew, and four helicopters along with a division supervisor to work with local resources to stop the fire.  Some power lines went down in the fire.  Meanwhile, the Mt. Hood National Forest reported there is a 6-acre fire burning in steep terrain in the White River drainage south of Bonney Meadows Campground on Barlow Ranger District.  Firefighters were responding on the ground and helicopters were dropping water during daylight.  Forest Road 48 is CLOSED between FR 43 and FR 4860 for public and firefighter safety.  Forest officials said they would have more details on Tuesday.