Ice rink set to open soon
The Winthrop Ice & Sports Rink’s (WISR) new skating surface might be ready for action as soon as Dec. 19, but the rink’s opening may be a day or two later than that depending on when the chiller equipment arrives, WISR board president Jill Calvert said this week.
The rink is in the final stages of an expansion project that includes refrigeration equipment for the first time in WISR’s history. The equipment will allow the rink to operate for several months each winter with the guarantee of good ice. Other facilities at the rink have also been upgraded.
Calvert said two vital parts of the ice-making system are en route — the chiller (from Texas) and pump (from Pennsylvania). They may be delivered as early as Friday (Dec. 11), but Calvert said the deliveries might not occur until Monday (Dec. 14), depending on conditions.
Then, it will take four days to install the refrigeration equipment and two days to build up the ice surface, Calvert said. She said most of the building improvements will be complete and concessions will be open.
To track the rink’s progress, visit www.winthropicerink.com.
DNR plans salvage sales of timber burned in Okanogan Complex Fire
The Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is planning salvage timber sales for three areas burned in the Okanogan Complex Fire this past summer.
The Loup sale will harvest 3.5 million board feet of timber on 922 acres. The proposal includes 1.4 miles of road construction, .10 mile of road reconstruction and almost 14 miles of road maintenance.
The Cape Labelle salvage sale, on the Wauconda and Bonaparte summits and in the Aeneas Valley, will harvest almost 3 million board feet of timber on 398 acres. It includes 2 miles of road construction, 1.6 miles of reconstruction and more than 8 miles of maintenance.
The 9 Mile salvage sale, 7 miles northeast of Oroville, will harvest 1.183 million board feet of timber on 224 acres. It includes .5 mile of road construction and reconstruction, combined, and 1.3 miles of maintenance.
The West Fork salvage sale, on the east side of the Loup Loup summit, will harvest 7.2 million board feet of timber on 1,245 acres. It includes almost 18 miles of road maintenance and will result in the abandonment of .3 mile of roads.
Depending on the area, species to be salvaged are western larch, Ponderosa pine and Douglas fir. Some trees will be left in the affected areas.
DNR has issued mitigations to reduce the environmental impact of the salvage work, restricting harvest in wetlands and riparian areas except as necessary for road construction. There is potential for minimal erosion from road construction and in steep areas, according to the environmental checklists completed by DNR.
They will replant the areas after harvest is complete.
For more information, go to www.dnr.wa.gov and search for “timber sales.”
Community Foundation gets fire relief funds from Safeway, Albertsons
The Community Foundation of North Central Washington has received a $255,532 donation from Safeway/Albertsons to help victims of the Okanogan Complex and Chelan Valley fires.
Donations were made by customers in stores across the state to support recovery for fire victims. The money will go to Community Foundation fire relief funds.
“The fires this year were catastrophic and many of the victims were uninsured or don’t have the means to get back on their feet” said Beth Stipe, the Community Foundation’s executive director. “Because of the generous people of the region and with Safeway/Albertson’s providing an easy giving vehicle, we can better help those in need.”
The Community Foundation is working with several local service agencies to help hundreds of individuals and families through the recovery process, which can take several months to years.
Disaster case managers located in Twisp at Room One and in Okanogan work directly with fire victims to determine their needs and match them with the resources available.
Community Foundation fire relief funds are used to support the unmet needs, providing funding where no other resources are available.
“We know that recovery can take time,” said Stipe. “Thanks to these gifts, we will be here for the long haul.”
For more information on fire relief, visit www.cfncw.org/fire.
State launches new initiatives to cope with ‘megafires’
Washington state has taken several steps toward recovery from past wildfires and increasing resiliency to future fires.
Washington’s new Wildland Fire Council, formed by Gov. Jay Inslee to coordinate restoration and recovery in areas that burned in 2015 — and to work on future wildfire preparedness and response — had its first meeting last month.
At the meeting, state officials provided background information on the history of wildland firefighting in Washington; the economic impact of wildfires, including housing and social-service issues; and an overview of the state budget.
The governor charged the council with making recommendations about how to respond to the “new phenomenon of megafires.” He also wants the group to develop policies that will strengthen partnerships between local, state, federal and tribal agencies so they can respond more effectively to wildfires.
The council will identify gaps in laws and funding that underlie the existing approach to fighting fires and strive to maximize the use of resources.
The council will prepare a preliminary report by July 1, 2016, with a strategy for increasing preparedness, resilience, response and recovery for consideration in the governor’s budget for 2017-19.
The council will hold meetings in communities affected by wildfires so the public can participate. Meeting times have not been announced yet.
The state Department of Natural Resources has named Kittitas County Commissioner Gary Berndt as wildland fire liaison, a position created unanimously by the Legislature this year to improve wildfire response.
Berndt, a wildland firefighter, will guide a Wildland Fire Advisory Committee of elected officials, private landowners and emergency managers who will work with the commissioner of public lands to strengthen Washington’s response to wildland fire.
Berndt said he supports the use of local resources in wildfire response. “We need to identify the best ways to use local equipment, firefighters and access roads in ways that will maximize protection of our homes, land and lives,” he said.
