News Stories for Fri., Aug. 18, 2017

An ember from the Nena Springs Wildfire blew out of the containment lines near Kishwalk around 3:20 yesterday afternoon (08/17/17). Driven by high winds, the fire moved fast – threatening the Fish Hatchery, Charley Canyon and Kah-Nee-Ta Resort where guests and staff sheltered in place.  Public Safety issued Level 3 Evacuation orders for those locations as well as Culpus Bridge, South Junction and the Wolfe Point subdivision.  The fire continued moving east last night to the Deschutes River.  The fire’s estimated size is now 46,000 acres. Nearly 200 firefighters set back burns to protect Kah-Nee-Ta and had support from two helicopters and 10 engines.  The Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal “Red Team” has been mobilized and will bring 100 additional firefighters to Warm Springs with a focus on protecting structures. Two task forces of engines from Marion and Multnomah Counties have arrived with additional resources. Additional engines and firefighters from Yamhill County will join the fire line today The community is asked to avoid all areas of the fire to ensure safety.  The human-caused Nena Springs Fire started on private property adjacent to the Warm Springs Indian Reservation on August 8th.

The Warm Springs Optometry department at the Health & Wellness Center still has eclipse glasses available for free. They are open from 8am to 5pm today and at 8am Monday. You can also get viewing glasses at the Native Sol Event in front of Community Counseling on campus this weekend. And, on Monday – everyone is welcome for solar eclipse viewing activities from 9–11:30am at the Warm Springs K-8 Academy football field. There will be free solar eclipse glasses and eclipse viewing telescopes there. The Total Solar Eclipse will occur at 10:20am Monday morning. Remember to protect your eyes!

The Warm Springs Head Start Program has a limited number of open slots still available for the upcoming school year. Applications are being taken until August 25^th at the Family Services office at the Warm Springs Early Childhood Education Center. Head Start provides free comprehensive preschool services for children ages 3-5.

The multi-agency Joint Information Center is up and running at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds. KTVZ reports that key players from numerous federal, state and local agencies are all under one roof where they’ll be able to coordinate whatever the eclipse and the big crowds coming to see it throw at them. The facility houses officials with more than 20 agencies, and according to the Central Oregon Emergency Information Network, it’s the largest pre-planned response effort ever established in the region. The command center will be up and running through the eclipse and aftermath, responding to situations as they unfold.

The Warm Springs Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, is looking for community feedback and opinions ahead of the next funding period. On August 24^th, folks are asked to stop by the Family Resource Center conference room and take a survey between 9am and 6pm. The survey will take about 20 minutes to complete.  Feedback gathered will be used to help guide the way LIHEAP funds are used in Warm Springs.