PacificSource Community Solutions announced that the Columbia Gorge Coordinated Care Organization received more than $3.4 million dollars from the Oregon Health Authority for quality performance during 2019.  PacificSource Community Solutions has is allocating the money back to the healthcare providers of the CCO and to the Columbia Gorge Health Council, which also has distributed funds to the healthcare network as well as to existing health improvement workgroups.  The OHA uses quality measures to determine how successful CCOs have been at improving care and making quality care accessible.  The Columbia Gorge CCO met its performance targets on 16 of 19 quality measures; 14 of these exceeded the highest-level state benchmark.  Performance on quality measures in the Columbia Gorge CCO was the highest in the state on two early childhood measures: childhood immunizations and developmental screenings.

State and federal agencies are extending the season for the Northern Pikeminnow Sport Reward Program on the Columbia and Snake rivers until October 11.  They are also boosting the per-fish reward amounts for the remainder of the 2020 season.  The reward for all eligible northern pikeminnow has increased to $10 per fish – regardless of how many northern pikeminnow an angler catches.  The reward for verified specially-tagged northern pikeminnow will also temporarily increase from $500 to $1,000 per fish.  The program’s goal is to encourage more anglers to participate by harvesting predator-sized northern pikeminnow this fall, which will help protect more young salmon and steelhead from predation next spring.  According to recent data, anglers are catching more northern pikeminnow now than any other time of the season, but fewer people are participating in the program.  For more details on the season extension and reward increases, go to www.pikeminnow.org.

Hood River County was the only one of 6 counties with a confirmed and presumptive case of COVID-19 Thursday and they had just one, pushing the total to 240 with 238 out of isolation and 52 recovered. Wasco County stayed at 230, with 199 recovered. Sherman County has 16 recoveries in 18 cases and Gilliam County has 7 cases with 4 recoveries. The state reported 215 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19, but no new deaths. Cases have gone over 30 thousand at 30,060 with deaths remaining at 521. Klickitat County remains at 203 cases, with 194 recovered and Skamania County has 58 recovered out of 60 cases. The state of Washington now has 81,198 confirmed cases and 11 new deaths to reach 2,031.

The Big Hollow Fire gained just over 800 acres Thursday and now stands at 22,973 acres. Crews continue to remove fuels inside the fire line. They are also patrolling areas and containing spot fires in the area. There are now 327 personnel manning the fire, with 8 hand crews, 12 engines, 5 dozers, 1 water tender and 1 helicopter. Structure protection work was completed around Government Mineral Springs cabins. There is still a level three evacuation notice in the Government Mineral Springs Area and level one order in effect north and west of the fire, including Yale, Cougar, Northwoods and parts of Amboy and Yacolt. Area closures include most developed campgrounds, dispersed camping and most forest roads and trails in the SW Gifford Pinchot. The fire is 15% contained.  

The Big Hollow Fire, 15 miles northwest of Carson grew to 22,153 acres Wednesday. Firefighters suppressed a new start in the Trapper Creek Wilderness that could have threatened containment lines. More personnel and equipment have been added, there are now 367 firefighters, with 10 hand crews, 13 engines, 3 dozers and 1 water tender, along with a helicopter and fixed-wing. Crews are continuing the process of consuming fuels inside the control line. Crews burned a control line east of Road 64 and north of Road 201 to stop fire spread east of the Wind River Highway. There is still a level three evacuation in effect for Government Mineral Springs and level one in Yale, Cougar, Northwoods and parts of Amboy and Yacolt. Containment is now at 15%.  

Hood River County reported their first positive COVID-19 case in 5 days Wednesday. That brings the number to 239, with 238 out of isolation and 52 recovered. Wasco County recorded two new cases with an overall total of 230. 199 have recovered. Both Sherman County and Gilliam County had no cases, with Sherman County remaining at 18 cases with 16 recovered and Gilliam County 4 recovered out of 7 cases. The state of Oregon reported 195 new confirmed and presumptive cases and two deaths. Total cases are 29,850 with 521 deaths.                                                                     There were no new cases in Skamania County, 58 of 60 cases have recovered. Klickitat County went up one to 203 cases with 194 recovered. Washington has a total of 80,812 confirmed cases and 2,020 deaths.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the Big Hollow Fire has burned 20,805 acres. There are 284 personnel on hand, including 6 hand crews, 9 engines, dozers and a water tender. They also have a helicopter and fixed-wing plane available. Crews have continued firing operations along roads 57 and 58 and installed fire lines to limit progress in the south. They’ve prepped roads to limit westerly spread. They also planned to burn a control line to stop eastward spread. Crews are monitoring around structures at Government Mineral Springs, where there is a level three evacuation notice. Level One orders are in effect in Yale, Cougar, Northwoods and parts of Amboy and Yacolt. Most developed campgrounds, dispersed camping,  and most forest roads and trails in the Southwest part of the  Gifford Pinchot are closed. The Pacific Crest Trail is open. The fire is 10% contained.

For the fourth day in a row, Hood River County reported no new or presumptive COVID-19 cases. The total cases remain at 238, with all cases out of isolation and 52 recovered. Wasco County had no new cases and the count overall is 228 with 198 recovered. Gilliam County reported two new or presumptive cases for a total of 7 overall and 4 recovered. Sherman County had no new cases and 16 of their 18 total cases are recovered. The Oregon Health Authority reported 184 new confirmed and presumptive cases, for a total of 29,662. There were 8 deaths, with the overall count now at 519. Skamania County had no new cases, they remain at 60 cases overall with 58 recovered. Klickitat County reports no new cases, they remain at 202 cases for the pandemic with 6 active cases and 193 recovered. The State of Washington total count is 80,465 cases. There were 9 deaths reported with the total now 2,015.

Wasco County reported one new COVID-19 case on Monday, bringing the County’s total during the pandemic to 227, with 194 recovered. Hood River County had no new cases on Monday, leaving the total at 239, with 235 out of isolation. Both Gilliam and Sherman Counties reported no new cases. Gilliam remains at 5 cases with 4 recovered, and 16 of 18 cases have recovered in Sherman County. The state reports 151 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases, with a total of 29,484. Two new deaths push that number to 511. There were no reports Monday from Klickitat or Skamania Counties. Klickitat stays at 202, with 193 recovered. Skamania County is still at 60 total cases, with 58 recovered. Washington State has gone over the 80,000 mark with 80,138 total cases. Deaths are now at 2,006.

The Big Hollow Fire has now scorched 20,805 acres as of Monday night. It is burning timber, litter and logging slash east and north of the Trapper Creek Wilderness on the Mt. Adams Ranger District. 284 total personnel are working on the fire. The fire is currently 10% contained. The estimated full containment date is October 10th. PNW Incident Management Team #12 will hold a virtual community meeting late this afternoon beginning at 5pm to discuss the fire. Go to www.facebook.com/GiffordPinchot to join in. The video will be saved and able to be viewed and shared for those that can’t attend during the live broadcast.