“Wondering why the firefighters hadn't arrived, I tried to call 911. No service.” “I got in my car and drove until I could get through to 911 and explain the situation. That's not exactly accurate. I kind of yelled that we needed help right away, that old people couldn't put out this fire, and that the helicopter needed to dump water closer to the house. The nice dispatcher said he'd send help. I think I was in a bit of a panic.”

Update August 21st, 2020 10:00 AM

The Mosier Creek Fire is fully contained.

The highest number of positive cases by age group shows that the 20's-50's age group had the highest number of cases. "We noticed a spike in some of our younger ages" Mimi McDonnel explained.

Prices for cherries were fairly strong as local growers saw higher demand as Washington cherries were hit with a late freeze in the Tri Cities, according to Ashley Thompson, Oregon State University extension agent.

Alexa Strickland got on the board early this morning near the Bargeway Pub on Riverfront Trail on Tuesday, Aug. 11. Her dog, Bizzo, an Australian Shepherd, didn’t mind the run. But he did take a few bites at that leash. 86 degrees Fahrenheit is the predicted high with more wind. Some blowhards calling for 22 mph. The record for heat on this day is 104 degrees and the low… 49. Clouds and and cooler temps are predicted for tomorrow.

130 firefighters continue to staff the Fir Mountain Fire. Operations continue to focus on mop-up of the interior of the fire and locating any hot spots near the perimeter. Helicopters assigned to the fire will be released mid-day today to return to home areas or staff other fires.

Riverbend Community School will be housed on the Columbia Gorge Community campus this year. Formerly called Wahtonka Community School, it will start the year both with a fresh name and a new location.

Saul Ascencio with the City of The Dalles spreads a mixture of compost and dirt at the triangle at 12th and Kelly Streets on Friday, Aug. 7. He had previously trimmed the tree seen here and also installed drip-line irrigation. He said they expected to add bark chips and flowers in days to come. It’s part of the city’s overall beautification committee’s plan, which also sends postcards to homeowners thanking them for keeping their yards beautiful.

Firefighters maintain lines around Fir Mountain Fire on Thursday despite high winds. Minimal precipitation aids in effort.

Steeling catalytic converters from vehicles is not a new crime, but it is emerging anew in our region. Recent thefts in The Dalles and one at Deschutes State Park have vehicle owners coughing as repairs cost thousands, and crooks get pennies on the dollar.

Garrison Wolfgang and JJ Uaide take a double back flip into the Columbia River in The Dalles on Tuesday afternoon., Aug. 4, 2020. We’re all trying to beat the heat these dog days of summer. It was 93 degrees Fahrenheit in The Dalles today and just 71 degrees in the water. Water cooling is always a good bet.

Masks do make workouts a bit more complicated. But after the first few minutes , many can ignore the fact that the mask is even there. It just takes some getting used to it. Options abound for those seeking a good physical challenge, whether taking a class, an online option or tackling the outdoors in the Gorge. Get out there. Get moving. And be safe about it.

Air resources were again used to slow the spread of the spotfires in area east of the main fire while crews and equipment were kept busy working to contain any additional spotfires. Winds blowing embers outside the fireline rapidly ignited the dry fuels and challenged firefighters.

Fir Mountain Fire Update on Aug. 3, 7:30 p.m.

North Wasco County School District to use the Comprehensive Distance Learning format until October 16th. Thereafter, a possible hybrid of in-class and online education could be utilized if conditions are safe enough.

Steve Palmer has had a busy week. The tow truck driver was dispatched to Freebridge Road at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday and found two fishermen with an Enterprise Rental car that had gone over the edge of the road about 200 yards from the bottom in a tight turn. Freebridge is no ordinary road.

Whatever you are doing right now. Stop. Don’t you know what day it is? It’s National Chicken Wing Day. And it’s time to get medieval about it. Five restaurants, six kinds of wings. No limits. Unbuckle your belt and take a flavor vacation.

Columbia Community Connection has just launched its interactive weather, wind and fire feed on our community website - free to all.