2
Wednesday,August26,2020
Columbia Gorge News
HoodRiverNews.com • TheDallesChronicle.com • WhiteSalmonEnterprise.com
White River fire grows to 1,100 acres
from other fires in the Pacific
Northwest. Firefighters are
watching for spot fires out-
side control lines.
The fire is at 3,700 feet,
13 miles southeast of
Government Camp in the
The White River Fire south- White River drainage near
east of Mt. Hood is currently Forest Road 48. The closest
1,102 acres, at about five per- community is Sportsman’s
Park which is 8 miles to the
cent containment, with 304
east. The fire lies on the
personnel working the fire.
southern aspect of the drain-
Fire managers said that
age with White River at the
securing lines and bringing
bottom of the fire and Forest
fire to the lines will take
Road 48 at the top of the fire.
several days. They are coor-
Crews continue to prepare
dinating with local agencies
for
low intensity firing opera-
to protect forest, cultural and
scenic resources. Much of the tions along the east and west
smoke that is visible in near- ends of the fire toward the
White River. Along the north
by communities could be
side, they continue to remove
from the White River Fire or
unburned fuels between
Wasco
Sheriff posts
evacuation
notices
Sheriff was on scene along
with Oregon State Police,
Pacific Power and private
Cause under
forestry crews.
“We had a really good
investigation
turnout,” Borton said.
Continued from page 1
The blaze burned in decid-
uous and coniferous stands
of trees and some open
flame in the middle of the
scrub-land, but crews were
fire zone. A helicopter was
able to get fire lines around
hovering nearby as if expect- it before it could spread to
ing the outburst, and doused nearby structures.
the 50-foot column of flame.
“We heard a ‘pow’ that
A second helicopter was
sounded like a transformer
circling nearby, looking for
blowing, The power went
the best target, and doused
off momentarily and then
the trees with its load.
it came back on,” said Doug
The “saving grace,” ac-
Massengill, whose home
cording to Borton, was that
lay 200 yards down the hill
helicopters were already
from where helicopters were
stationed nearby, at the
dumping water.
Mosier Creek Fire response.
The fire is under investi-
In addition, ODF immediate- gation, according to Borton.
ly dispatched an engine and A State Fire Marshal’s office
ground crew along with fire
investigator was expected as
managers.
early as the weekend to visit
“We were at the house and the scene, he said. Officials
lost power. I started texting
noted that while power lines
other friends in the neigh-
were down in the fire area,
borhood and looked out the it is too soon to know if the
window and there were the
electrical issue was the cause
flames,” said Bonnie Taylor,
of, or caused by, the fire.
whose home is near the top
Crews from area agencies,
of the ridge. She said the re-
with help from four helicop-
cent fires just to the south — ters pouring water on the
Fir Mountain — and east —
fire, got a fire line around
Mosier Creek — earlier this
the blaze by around 7:30
month helped her and her
p.m., according to Oregon
husband, Sam, remember
Department of Forestry’s Kyle
what to do in case of fire and Nairns. The helicopters were
the possibility of evacuation. already in the area fighting
“We just started thinking,
the Mosier Creek Fire, ac-
we gotta have a list and know cording to Nairns.
what we’re grabbing,” she
Pacific Power dispatched
said. “It was just, ‘Let’s be
several vehicles to the area,
prepared.’”
and private firefighting crews
All Hood River County fire were also called in. Hood
agencies responded, along
River County Sheriff’s Office
with Mosier Fire Department. were stationed at Old Dalles
Gorge Scenic Area and
and Hidden Oaks to limit
Oregon Department Forest
non-essential vehicle access.
crews. Hood River County
FIRE
Environmental
review
released
usace.army.mil/CRSO/#top.
More information is also
available at www.pnwa.net/
rivervalues.
PORTLAND — The
Columbia River System
Operations final environ-
mental impact statement
(EIS) has been released,
signaling the completion of a
new plan to meet the needs
of both the Northwest econo-
my and environment.
The final EIS is the
culmination of a multi-year
process carried by career staff
in collaboration with leading
experts in fish biology, energy
management and socio-
economics. The EIS covers
14 Corps of Engineers and
Bureau of Reclamation dams
in the region. To review the
final EIS, visit the Columbia
River System Operations
Web page at www.nwd.
Highway 48 and the main
fire. Firing operations will
continue in these areas as
conditions allow, fire officials
said in an email.
The river is in a steep
canyon and difficult to reach.
Crews are putting in hand
line on the west side of the
fire between the 48 road and
the river.
Temperatures are predict-
ed to be in the 80s, relative
humidity 17-22 percent,
and winds from the south
during the day, changing
to the northwest in the late
afternoon and evening. Wind
speeds forecasted at 5-6 mph
in the valley and 5-10 mph on
the ridge tops.
Low intensity firing oper-
ations are often used in fire
■ By Jacob Bertram
Columbia Gorge News
Dawn Rasmussen has
always considered herself a
prepared person. Since she
and her husband decided to
move into their house near
The Dalles four years ago,
she knew she would have the
threat of wildfire looming in
her backyard.
The first week they moved
in, the Rasmussens had
the fire marshall come out
to inspect the property.
They had rooftop sprinklers
installed and made a point
to trim down the fuel on the
property.
At the onset of the Eagle
Creek fire a couple years
back, she and a few other
helpers saw the need for
streamlined information
about wildfires in the
Columbia River Gorge and
became an admin for a
Facebook page updating
information in the Columbia
River Gorge. So when the
Mosier Creek Fire raged in
her area, causing them and
their surrounding neighbors
to evacuate, she felt well
prepared. The blaze was far
enough away by the time
she received the reports,
giving them time enough to
run through the evacuation
checklist, load up the previ-
ously abandoned fawn, Thor,
who they take care of, in the
car and drive away.
"Thor was calm ... I think
he was getting a little freaked
because of the activity, but I
think he knew I was trying to
protect him,” Dawn said.
Five days later, Dawn had
been scanning through her
list of resources on wildfires
in the area when she read an
unconfirmed report on a fire
near Sevenmile Hill. She had
Thank you
to all who helped protect
the homes & farms of 7-Mile Hill
in The Dalles.
Thank you to:
the firefighters,
helicopters, neighbors
and Friends!
Road closures: 4410/3550
jnctn; Bennet Pass snopark
(3550); 48/4890 junction;
43/3530 junction; 43/3530-
230; 35/48 junction;
4890/4891 junction; 48/4880
junction; 3530/3530-230;
2710/2710/160; 4810 just
northwest of Camp Cody;
48 just south of Rock Creek
Reservoir CG; 4820 just west
of Rock Creek Reservoir CG;
all class 3 road barricades
unless otherwise noted.
The Wasco County
Sheriff has posted a Level
1 Evacuation notice for
Sportsman Park and the
Rock Creek area; vis-
it www.facebook.com/
WascoCountySheriff/
posts/1837027263105452.
to take a look outside.
“There I was ... all of a
sudden you couldn’t see any-
thing, the smoke was so bad,”
Dawn recalled.
At that point she knew it
would be her second time
evacuating a wildfire in just
a week.
Dawn said she probably
only had about 10 minutes to
water the deck, turn on the
sprinklers, load up Thor and
drive off.
“It was like, run as fast as
we could.”
Dawn recalled that she
and her husband would
split up later on; Dawn had a
friend who could keep Thor
overnight.
“I love helping people. It’s
quite a role reversal to accept
help,” Dawn said.
Dawn said after the recent
fires, she has noticed an up-
tick in fuel-reduction activity
in the neighborhood.
“It’s had an immediate
impact ... I think the lesson
learned here is to prepare
ahead of time.” Dawn cited
the 10-30-100 rule and the
A Wasco County Sheriff deputy mans a roadblock at the corner of
Chenowith Loop and Browns Creek road in The Dalles as residents
are evacuated for the Sevenmile Hill fire.
Mark B. Gibson photo
Firewise program as specific
resources for people in high-
risk areas to review.
Everything turned out okay
in the Rasmussen family, an-
imals included. The structure
was threatened but the fire
did not reach the property.
In a Facebook post on The
Unedited Dalles Happenings,
Dawn gave credit to the first
responders, who took quick
action to notify residents in
such a quick amount of time.
“This neighbor-help-
ing-neighbor is the good stuff
that makes this a wonderful
community. We have amaz-
ing people in this communi-
ty, from people volunteering
to help with moving people,
animals, and belongings to
offering their home for sanc-
tuary, or the brave people
rushing to the scene of the
fire with what equipment or
tools they have.”
Restaurant GUIDE
EGG RIVER CAFÉ
“Breakfast of champions” – New York Times
Family friendly. Extensive breakfast
& lunch menus. Organic eggs, omelets
RIVERSIDE AT
made with love, pan-cakes, waff les,
THE HOOD RIVER INN
skillets, eggs benedict, organic coffee,
Diners seek out newly remodeled Riverside
for some of the best food and views in the
espresso, soups, salads, sandwiches,
Gorge, and Cebu for great bar food and
hamburgers. Full bar available
drinks. Fresh menus change seasonally
Open daily, 6am-2pm
—plus an award-winning wine list. Cebu’s
1313 Oak St., Hood River
Happy Hours are Mon.-Fri., 4-6pm.
541-386-1127 | eggrivercafe.com
HOOD RIVER TAQUERIA
MEXICAN RESTAURANT
Featuring fine authentic Mexican food and
cocktails. Spacious outdoor seating.
Closed Tuesdays
Sun. -Thurs. 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.,
Fri. - Sat. 9:30 am to 10 pm
1210 13th St., on the Heights,
Hood River | 541-387-3300
Best Western Plus Hood River Inn
1108 E. Marina Way, Hood River
541-386-4410
Open every day 6 am to 9 pm
Advertise your restaurant here!
Only $0.10 a word with a 25 word minimum-
To add your restaurant,
email sales@gorgenews.com
Army & Toni Mueller
2020 STATEWIDE MEMBERSHIP CONFERENCE
LABOR DAY HOLIDAY CHANGES
Due to the Labor Day Holiday, The Columbia Gorge News will need
to adjust delivery that week. The delivery for subscribers will move
to Thursday, September 10.
DELIVERY ON THURSDAY LABOR DAY WEEK.
LEARN.
CONNECT.
PREPARE.
All other deadlines will remain the same:
Display Advertising Reservation Due 5p.m. Wednesday, Sept., 2
Legal Public Notices, Classified Advertising and Obituaries 4p.m.
Friday, Sept., 4
FEATURING: AMBER HIKES
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12
ONLINE
9:30 AM - 12:30 PM
firefighters will monitor the
perimeter using aircraft and
lookouts to detect any spot
fires that may occur south of
the river.
Closures are in effect in
these areas: Crane Creek,
Crane Prairie, Boulder
Lake, Forest Creek, Hidden
Meadows, Bonney Meadows,
Threemile, and all of the Rock
Creek OHV Area.
Recreation site closures:
White River Station, Forest
Creek, Keeps Mill, Boulder
Lake, Little Boulder Lake,
Post Camp, Camp Windy
Bonney Meadows, Post Point
OHV Staging Area, Gate
Creek OHV Staging Area,
Barlow Crossing, Rock Creek
Campground and day use
area.
Resident escapes two fires
JUSTICE FOR ALL
KEYNOTE: WALIDAH IMARISHA
management. If planned
and executed correctly they
can control the fire, reduce
suppression costs, and
protect cultural and natural
resources. Fire managers
are using low intensity fire
to secure lines on the White
River Fire, a strategy that will
take several days.
Monday, the fire was likely
to be active with tempera-
tures of 77-82 degrees and
west winds of 7 to 15 mph.
Ridge top wind gusts are like-
ly to increase this afternoon.
Firefighters will watch for
possible short runs up steep
slopes where slope and wind
align. They will also watch
for and secure spot fires.
On the south side of the
fire along the White River,
REGISTER TODAY:
ACLU-OR.ORG/MEMBERSHIPCONFERENCE
Our new offices and locations coming soon!
• Currently: 1800 W. 10th Street., The Dalles,
541-296-2141
• 600 E. Port Marina Way Suite B (DMV building) Hood River,
541 386-1234
• Elba Offices, 288 E. Jewett St., Suite 650, White Salmon,
541-493-2112
We still are not working with open offices due to COVID 19. We
have the Hood River office open Mon-Fri 9-Noon.
All offices are open by appointment, just call or email us!