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Wednesday, August 18, 2021
thechronicleonline.com
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Fire agencies issue burn ban HILARY DORSEY headlightreporter@countrymedia.net JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net
Columbia County has moved to Extreme Fire Danger, and all outdoor burning is now closed, according to the Columbia County Fire District Board, which issued the burn ban Aug. 12. All open burning is prohibited, even in Columbia County parks, including recreational campfires, portable propane/patio fireplaces, and charcoal BBQ’s. “Anytime we go to an extreme fire danger, it is definitely serious,” Columbia River Fire & Rescue District’s Rainier Station Battalion Chief Jerry Cole said. “We know this inconveniences people with recreational fires, but it is for the best.” According to Cole, everyone needs to be vigilant during such extreme fire danger. “If you see smoke, or see a fire, call 9-1-1 and we will respond to check it out,” he said. Fire officials warn that even tossing a cigarette or parking your vehicle in tall grass can lead to wildfires that will spread fast due to the extreme dry conditions and afternoon winds. “Carelessness is the biggest cause of wildfires,” according to a release from the fire district board, “so it is everyone’s responsibility to practice fire safety.” Escaped fires of any kind resulting in property damage or requiring suppression efforts from a fire agency, may result in fines and
Courtesy of Oregon Forestry Department
Fire agencies in Columbia County continue to urge everyone to be aware of the extreme wildfire danger.
individual financial responsibility for damages caused. The Columbia County Fire District Board includes Columbia River Fire & Rescue, Clatskanie Fire District, Mist-Birkenfeld Fire District, Oregon Department of Forestry, Scappoose Fire District and the Vernonia Fire District.
Statewide wildfire danger Statewide, lightning over the weekend has caused a series of new wildfires. Five major wildfire complexes erupted following lightning strikes over the past few days, triggering 100 fires, including the Skyline Ridge Complex near
Canyonville and the Middle Fork Complex near Oakridge. Oregon Department of Forestry Forester Nancy Hirsch said fire conditions continue to worsen from drought and high temperatures. “One single spark can start a fire that can spread quickly,” Hirsch said.
Firefighters continue to face challenges with the pace of current fire season. “We can’t control the weather or fire starts from lightning,” Hirsch said, “We can and we must prevent how many human-caused fires we add to the landscape.” ODF’s Chief of Fire Protection Doug Grafe said the mix of heat, lightning and low humidity continues to heighten the danger. “We have, along with the challenging temperatures, likelihood of lightning,” Grafe said. “That’s a difficult forecast for us with lower humidity on top of the ongoing drought.” Fire agency officials said the days ahead mean everyone must be wildfire aware. “We as the general public are probably the number one helper in this,” Oregon Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said. “We have a role.” Oregon Office of Emergency Management Director Andrew Phelps said every Oregonian was in some way impacted by last year’s wildfire season, whether they were evacuated or experienced poor air quality from smoke. “We need to use these experiences of our past emergencies and disasters to inform and strengthen our statewide preparedness,” Phelps said. “Too many of us in Oregon are underprepared. We need to work together to change that.” Phelps said residents and businesses should have and practice an emergency evacuation plan, which includes having copies of critical See BAN Page A4
Delta cases surge, mask mandate resumes JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net
Courtesy photo
Christina Manning and her sister Jessica Dunagan at a shoot in the Seattle area during the reality television series.
Back to reality: Former Clatskanie sisters on TV JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net
In April, The Chronicle first told our readers about two former Clatskanie sisters who had been chosen to be part of a new reality television series. Christina Manning and Jessica Dunagan are featured in a the TLC Network’s “Meet the World’s Most Extreme Sisters,” which premiered April 25. The series follows a group of sisters during their everyday lives. Our original report has been one of the most viewed stories at thechronicleonline.com, the online version of The Chronicle. In our April interview, Manning said the show is designed to give viewers a close and personal inside look of relationships between sisters. Opinions ................... A4 TV Guide ................... A5 Classified Ads ......... A6 Legals .................... A6-8 Crossword ................ A8 Sports & Outdoors A10
“This show captures our relationship in its purest and most raw form,” she said. “We are extremely close and the viewers will learn that even with an unbreakable bond, there are challenges that come with that. It has affected all areas of our life and we get to share the ups and downs with viewers.” Manning said the essence of the television series is aimed at viewers’ hearts. “Our hope is to show viewers - that no matter what - when you have a sister bond, nothing can come between that,” she said. “We open up and share our dynamic with so much vulnerability, and we want to touch people’s hearts with our story. We also want the residents of Clatskanie to know, that even growing up in a small town, your dreams can come true!” The TLC programming lineup now includes several other new reality series and the Meet the Worlds See TV SHOW Page A3
The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reported 4,396 new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases and 14 deaths from Aug. 13 through Aug. 15. The state’s total COVID-19 case count reached 242,843 and there have been 2,949 deaths as of Aug. 16. Columbia County saw 19 new cases through that weekend period. The OHA reported 80 new cases of COVID-19 in Columbia County Wednesday afternoon, Aug. 11, and one new death. That has been one of the largest one-day case surges in Columbia County since the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the state over a year ago. Health officials said the majority of the new cases are from the Delta variant and largely among the unvaccinated. Mask mandate Oregon’s indoor face covering mandate resumed on Friday, Aug. 13. Gov. Kate Brown said the effort to require the face coverings at all public indoor settings is needed to slow the rapidly spreading COVID-19 Delta virus in the state. Brown opened a Wednesday morning, Aug. 11 press conference by saying the latest COVID-19 numbers are “shocking.” “Yesterday we had over 2,300 cases of COVID-19, the highest number since the virus first landed in Oregon,” Brown said. “Hospitalizations are also up at a record high. Across the state our ICU beds are about 90% filled. Some of our hospital regions have fewer than five ICU beds available to start the day.” Brown said the numbers are the result of the COVID-19 Delta variant. “These numbers are despite the fact that nearly 73% of Oregon’s
Metro Creative Connection / The Chronicle
The goal of indoor mask requirements is to limit the spread of the Delta variant as much as possible indoors, where COVID-19 spreads more easily, according to Gov. Brown. The requirement works in combination with efforts to encourage more Oregonians to become fully vaccinated.
adults are vaccinated,” she said. “The harsh reality is that Delta is a different virus. It has changed everything.” Brown said the Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Health Sciences University report that without new safety interventions, COVID-19 hospitalizations will completely overwhelm the doctors and nurses in the coming weeks.
We are all still in danger. ~ Kate Brown, Oregon Governor
“Without safety measures we could be as many as 500 hospital beds short of what we need to treat people by September,” Brown said. “And that’s patients coming into the hospitals for any reasons. When
hospitals run out of beds, we are all at risk.” According to Brown, the pandemic has taught that quick, decisive action saves lives. Brown said vaccines are the best way for individuals to protect themselves and their families from the deadly virus. “It is clear that the situation requires immediate action to stop the Delta variant from traveling further,” Brown said. “Masks are simple and they are effective. Masks are also our best bet in keeping our schools and our businesses open. Wearing a mask should give you confidence that you are not infecting others.” Oregon Health Authority Director Patrick Allen told reporters that the Delta variant virus is spreading uncontrollably among people who are not vaccinated.
Vol. 139, No. 33
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