Confederated Umatilla Journal

08/01/2024

The August CUJ is out for delivery today – but you can read it now online at https://cuj.ctuir.org/

Submission deadline for the September CUJ is Tuesday, Aug. 20.

The September issue will go out Thursday, Sept. 5.

07/26/2024

Weather gives slight reprieve, much work to be done

UKIAH, Ore. – Zone 2, the eastern half of the Battle Mountain Complex, now comprised of the 140,879 -acre Monkey Creek Fire and the 4,484 North Fork Owens Fire, continues to test fire lines.

On the eastern edge, the fire is holding after burn operations cleared out brush and other flashy fuels along Highway 395. Crews made progress tying in where the fire slopped over on the southeast portion where fire was active but less active than the past few days. Crews are preparing to remove vegetation through burning operations along Camas Creek where fire is still creeping through unburned areas.

The 4,484-acre North Fork Owens Fire is now 70% contained (the complex stands at 5% containment).

The Battle Mountain Complex consists of the North Fork Owens and Monkey Creek Fires – two of 17 fires in northeast Oregon that started in the late afternoon and evening of July 17, 2024. The Snake Fire merged with the Monkey Creek Fire on July 22, 2024, and the Boneyard Fire merged with Monkey Creek Fire on July 25, 2024.

For updated information, visit:
For Umatilla County, follow facebook.com/UmatillaCountySheriff or sign up for Umatilla County Emergency Alert System at https://member.everbridge.net/index/2590041373147145.

07/26/2024

CTUIR Co-sponsoring Tri-City Water Follies

MISSION – The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) is helping sponsor the 2024 Tri-City Water Follies being held July 26-28 in Kennewick and Pasco, Washington.

The Water Follies is a weekend full of hydroplane boat racing in pursuit of the Apollo Columbia Cup. It also features the STCU Over-the-River Air Show and other exhibitions. It’s a stop for the H1 Unlimited hydroplane race schedule, showcasing multiple classes of boats on a fast course.

The CTUIR is putting up $17,500 as this year’s purse money for the Apollo Columbia Cup, which will be determined Sunday evening. First place will receive $10,000. Second place will earn $5,000, and third place will get $2,500.

“We are excited to co-sponsor this year’s Tri-City Water Follies as the Tri-Cities area is part of the CTUIR’s traditional use and aboriginal title lands,” CTUIR Chairman Gary I. Burke said. “It’s an honor to be a part of such a fun event and to be able to provide the purse money for the Apollo Columbia Cup.”

According to the Water Follies website, the 2024 Columbia Cup will mark the 58th time Unlimited hydroplanes have raced on the Columbia River. Like the inaugural event in 1966, the Columbia Cup will most likely have 12 Unlimited hydroplanes in attendance.

Along with co-sponsoring the event, the CTUIR will also have a hospitality tent at Gate H2 and has invited area firefighters and Yakama Nation dignitaries as its guests.

“We invite the public to come out and visit, grab some goodies, learn about the CTUIR and its history tied to the area and just have fun watching the races and air show,” Burke said.

Showcasing various activities, the Water Follies annually draw crowds of approximately 50,000 to Kennewick’s Columbia Park and 15,000 to the Pasco shore during its three days. The Tri-Cities area is a metropolitan area consisting of Benton and Franklin counties in Washington state, anchored by the cities of Kennewick, Pasco and Richland.

07/25/2024

Umatilla County has just issued an EVACUATION LEVEL - LEVEL 2 (BE SET - Yellow) due to an active fire just southeast of the City of Milton-Freewater.

=============================
WALLA WALLA RIVER RD FIRE

LEVEL 2 (BE SET - Yellow)
Area of Spofford Rd and Walla Walla River Rd

Follow Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office page for any immediate changes to evacuation levels.

- Thursday, July 25, 2024

07/25/2024

07.24.2024 @ 12:30pm

Below are the current evacuation levels for the County of Umatilla. A section just to the northeast of the City of Ukiah, (54 complex north) has been removed from the evacuation level alert zone and is shown in grey on the image.
=====================
BATTLE MOUNTAIN COMPLEX FIRE
LEVEL 3 (GO NOW - Red)
Entire area south of Highway 395 at Copper creek, between Highway 395 S to the County Lines on the west and south side. and then Entire area south of FS Rd 52, five miles east of Highway 395 S and down to County Line.

LEVEL 2 (BE SET - Yellow)
Entire City of Ukiah and Soap Hill area south of the City of Ukiah, east side of Highway 395 for five miles and down to FS Rd 52 and Entire bottom southeast corner of Umatilla County, including the area of Double Snag and Upper Winom area

LEVEL 1 (BE READY - Green)
Area south of Carney Butte, east of Highway 395 S (at mp 44) to the Umatilla County Line, including Albee, Camas Creek, Hideaway Springs, Dixie Ranch and Lehman Springs
—————————
Follow Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office page for any immediate changes to evacuation levels.

Evacuation maps are also being uploaded into the Oregon Emergency Management Public Raptor. Use this link for an interactive map:
https://oregon-oem-geo.hub.arcgis.com/

07/25/2024

East. Ore.: I-84 has reopened in eastern Oregon after a long closure for wildfires between Pendleton and Ontario. Other highways in eastern Oregon remain closed due to fire. If you plan to travel use Tripcheck.com for the most up-to-date road closure information.

11:45 a.m., July 25, 2024

07/24/2024

07/24/2024

The I-84 corridor in Eastern Oregon, from Pendleton to Ontario, is currently closed due to unpredictable fire activity in the area.

As of 11:30 a.m. July 24, there is no estimate for when this or any other fire-impacted highways in eastern Oregon will reopen.

Travelers should be prepared for additional I-84 closures and are advised not to rely on this route.

If you need to travel east or west through central and eastern Oregon, it is recommended to use U.S. 20 instead.

For the most current information, travelers are encouraged to visit Tripcheck.com

07/24/2024

The CTUIR Public Works Department will be conducting fire flow exercises on Wednesday, July 24 in the Coyote South Business Park.

These tests will likely result in temporary water discoloration due to moving a couple of thousand gallons per minute through the system.

The water is potable and safe to drink.

Thank you for your patience and consideration.

07/24/2024

Progress continues on Monkey Creek fire as challenging conditions persist

UKIAH, Ore. – Firefighters on the Monkey Creek Fire continued to see challenging weather and very active fire behavior, but they held established lines tightly without much growth on key priorities.

Limited visibility over the fire kept helicopters grounded early in the day, so air resources were shared with the Double Snag Fire to the east until the smoke lifted in the afternoon. When they returned, they were able to help slow fire growth on the northern portion of the fire. Crews in the north continued to tie in dozer and contingency lines…

For the rest of the story, please visit the CUJ online at https://cuj.ctuir.org

07/24/2024

I-84 is now open in eastern Oregon. The Durkee Fire forced another closure late last night.

Travelers should be prepared for more I-84 closures as this fire remains active.

Travelers who need to move east or west through central and eastern Oregon should use U.S. 20.
If you plan to travel across Oregon in the coming days, make sure you carefully plan your route by using https://www.tripcheck.com/

Other eastern Oregon highways may be closed or impacted as well.

07/23/2024

I-84 eastbound is closed from Pendleton (Exit 216) to Baker City.

ODOT is allowing local eastbound passenger traffic on I-84 from Exit 216 to Baker City only.

I-84 remains closed in both directions between Baker City (Exit 302) and Ontario (Exit 374).

Closures are due to the Durkee Fire burning near Farewell Bend/Exit 353. U.S. 30 between Baker City and Haines, OR 204 (Tollgate Hwy.), OR 203 (Medical Springs Hwy.) and OR 245 are also closed to all but local traffic, as these are not viable detours for freeway traffic.

The closure is expected to last through the day.

ALSO: US395 1 mile North of Pilot Rock MP 14-980 is closed due to fire activity. All lanes are affected.

Go to Tripcheck https://www.tripcheck.com/ for updates.

Updated: 07/23/2024 from 1:51 pm

07/22/2024

ICYMI: 07.22.2024 @ 12:37 pm

The following evacuation levels are in effect in Umatilla County:

BATTLE MOUNTAIN COMPLEX FIRE

LEVEL 3 (GO NOW - Red)
Entire area south of Highway 395 at Copper creek, between Highway 395 S to the County Lines on the west and south side. and then Entire area south of FS Rd 52, five miles east of Highway 395 S and down to County Line.
This is an active incident, always pay attention to your surroundings and adjust accordingly. A Shelter remains open at the Pendleton Convention Center, 1061 Westgate, Pendleton.
-—
LEVEL 2 (BE SET - Yellow)
Entire City of Ukiah and Soap Hill area south of the City of Ukiah, east side of Highway 395 for five miles and down to FS Rd 52 and Entire bottom southeast corner of Umatilla County, including the area of Double Snag and Upper Winom area
—-
LEVEL 1 (BE READY - Green)
Area south of Carney Butte, east of Highway 395 S (at mp 44) to the Umatilla County Line, including Albee, Camas Creek, Hideaway Springs, Dixie Ranch and Lehman Springs

07/22/2024

Increased fire dangers prompt restrictions on reservation lands

MISSION – Due to current weather conditions and ever-increasing fire danger, the Umatilla Tribal Fire Department (UTFD) has implemented the following public use restrictions on all lands within the Umatilla Indian Reservation:

All open fires are prohibited, including agricultural burns, campfires, cooking pits and warming fires. Ceremonial burns are not prohibited but will need prior UTFD approval, dependent on fire resources and weather conditions.

All fireworks are prohibited.

Use of exploding targets and tracers is prohibited. Caution should be used when shooting full metal jacket ammunition because of potential spark on solid surfaces.

Use of off-road vehicles on dry grass areas is prohibited.

Non-industrial cutting, grinding and welding in dry grass areas is prohibited.
Industrial use requires firefighting type equipment: water tank with pump, portable fire extinguisher and hand tools.
Non-industrial/agricultural mowing of dried cured grass is prohibited with brush hog type equipment.

Non-industrial chainsaw use in forested and dry grass lands is prohibited.
Electric chainsaws are allowed.

For questions regarding public use restrictions, call the UTFD at 541-276-2126 or email UTFD Chief James Hall at [email protected].

07/19/2024

07.19.2024 at 03:27 pm
New Evacuation Notices have been issued for Umatilla County for the southeast corner of the county, see below...

LEVEL 2 (BE SET - Yellow)
Entire bottom southeast corner of Umatilla County, including the area of Double Snag and Upper Winom area

LEVEL 1 (BE READY - Green)
Area south of Carney Butte, east of Highway 395 S to the Umatilla County Line, including Albee, Camas Creek, Hideaway Springs, Dixie Ranch and Lehman Springs


Effective immediately for Battle Mountain Complex Fire (Ukiah area and south end of County).

LEVEL 3 (GO NOW - red)
Entire area south of Highway 395 at Copper creek, between Highway 395 S to the County Lines on the west and south side.

LEVEL 3 (GO NOW - red)
Entire area south of FS Rd 52, five miles east of Highway 395 S and down to County Line.

LEVEL 2 (GET SET - yellow)
Area south of the City of Ukiah, east side of Highway 395 S for five miles and down to FS Rd 52.

The City of Ukiah has been upgraded to LEVEL 2 (BE SET - Yellow)

People choosing to leave the area are directed to travel northbound on Highway 395. This is an active incident, always pay attention to your surroundings and adjust accordingly. A Shelter remains open at the Pendleton Convention Center, 1061 Westgate, Pendleton.

For newest information on evacuation, go to Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office Facebook.

Evacuation maps are being uploaded into the Oregon Emergency Management Public Raptor maps (which are interactive) at this link - https://oregon-oem-geo.hub.arcgis.com/ - you can see the entire state of Oregon.

07/19/2024

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Land Protection Planning Commission of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) will hold the following public hearing:

Conditional Use File -24-001 – Applicant, Ashley Winn, 136 W. Northshore Dr. Moses Lake, WA 98837, seeks approval from the Land Protection Planning Commission to construct a homesite with a residential dwelling, well, and septic. The subject property is identified as Umatilla County Tax Lot 1N3400000-0118, which is located south of the Deadman’s Pass rest area with access from Evergreen Lane, within the boundaries of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. The subject property is zoned G-1, Big Game Grazing Forest, where a residential home is listed as a Conditional Use. Conditional Use approvals are subject to the CTUIR Land Development Code Chapters 6 and 13.

The hearing will be held on Tuesday, August 13, 2024 beginning at 9:00 a.m. Individuals may attend the meeting in the Walúula and Wanaqit conference rooms at the Nixyáawii Governance Center, virtually, or by phone.

Information on joining the meeting online is available at https://ctuir.org/events/lppc-public-hearing-cu-24-002/. Participation in the hearing will also be available by phone at 872-242-7793 starting at 9:00 a.m. on the day of the hearing. The conference ID will be 489 280 313 #.

Staff reports and other materials pertaining to the hearing are available for review at the link above, or can be requested from the Tribal Planning Office by calling 541-276-3099.
The public is entitled and encouraged to participate in the hearing and submit testimony regarding the request. Written comments may be sent to [email protected] or to the Tribal Planning Office at 46411 Timíne Way, Pendleton, OR 97801 for receipt by 4:00 p.m. August 12, 2024.

07/18/2024

Tribe works to put out small wildfire, braces for more

By CHRIS AADLAND, CUJ

MISSION – The tribe has been working to put out a small wildfire in an isolated area of the Umatilla Indian Reservation’s Johnson Creek Restoration area on Thursday and is monitoring for others that may emerge throughout the day.

Earlier Thursday morning, the fire was estimated to have burned less than an acre near Johnson Creek, though Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Director Eric Quaempts said he didn’t have an updated estimate as of 12 p.m.

He said staff were confident that the fire was under control after two helicopters dropped several loads of water on the blaze throughout the morning. They will likely douse it with a few more rounds of Indian Lake water in the afternoon as a precaution…

Read the rest of the story at the CUJ online: https://cuj.ctuir.org/

07/18/2024

Tribal leaders shelve plans for h**p, ma*****na businesses

By CHRIS AADLAND, CUJ

MISSION – Tribal leaders have abandoned pursuing h**p cultivation and a ma*****na retail business after studies showed neither venture would lead to substantial profits for the tribe.

The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation’s (CTUIR) Board of Trustees (Board) on July 15 voted against a resolution to pursue cannabis related businesses by a 5-0 vote, with three members abstaining. The resolution also rescinded the tribe’s h**p code…

Read the story at the CUJ online: https://cuj.ctuir.org

07/18/2024

07.18.2024 Update - EVACUATION NOTICES ISSUED for Cold Springs Loop Area and Weston Mountain. BE SET and BE READY (details below).

Because of fires near these areas, UCSO Search and Rescue are actively notifying residences to be aware of the following evacuation level notices. These are LEVEL 1 and LEVEL 2 only at this time as described below. See map for details.

COLD SPRINGS LOOP AREA (LEVEL 2 - BE SET) Yellow

South of Highway 204, East of Giger Lane to McDougal Road to include all residences on McDougal, south to Rock Creek including Pine Creek Road system east of Read and Hawley Mountain

WESTON MOUNTAIN AREA (LEVEL 1 - BE READY) Green

Residences immediately north of Highway 204 and north to Couse Creek, including portions of Lincton Mountain Rd, from Little Dry Creek, south to the Umatilla River along the reservation boundary down to the South Fork of the Umatilla River and then east to Buck Mountain over to Langdon Lake and north of Langdon Lake up to McIntyre.

Alert issued at 12:04 p.m., 07/18/2024

07/18/2024

‼️ 07.18.2024 - McKay Reservoir ‼️

**NOTIFICATION FOR PEOPLE TO GET OFF THE WATER**

Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office deputies are actively notifying people on the water at McKay Reservoir to get off the water to allow access for fire air support to pull water from the reservoir.

07/18/2024

FROM THE OREGON STATE FIRE MARSHAL:

LEVEL 3 EVACUATION STILL IN EFFECT (GO NOW) - For the area of South of Coombes Canyon Rd and North of Carney Butte between the County Line on the west and just west of East Birch Creek.

ROAD CLOSURES: Highway 395 from Ukiah just south of Pilot Rock, remains closed with restricted access.

SHELTERS:
Shelters have been set up at Pendleton Convention Center, 1601 Westgate in Pendleton and at Grant Union High School, 911 S Canyon Blvd in John Day.

Over the night crews worked to hold the fire lines on the fire south of Pilot Rock. It is estimated the fire is at approximately 20,000 acres at this point. The fire is reportedly contained along Yellow Jacket Road Rd and Highway 395 S, with crews still monitoring. Fire Crews will be concentrating heavily on the west and south end of the fire along Bear Creek Rd and to the west on Gurdane Road. A consistent message throughout the briefing was to remain flexible and fluid, as the dry conditions and increasing temperatures are extremely challenging and additional fires are expected.

For information on being prepared for wildfire visit https://wildfire.oregon.gov/prepare.

07/18/2024

Myrtle Spurge is an herbaceous perennial that grows up to 8 inches tall. This plant is invasive in nature and has waxy leaves, arranged in spirals around fleshy blue-green stems. It grows in a colony and has a deep taproot. When the plant is damaged or broken, it secretes milky sap. The plant’s flowers are yellow, and its seeds can be projected up to 15 feet from the plant. These seeds can remain viable in the soil for up to 8 years. This escaped ornamental plant is known to invade rangelands and disturbed areas. The plants milky sap can cause skin irritations.

For further details on Myrtle Spurge or other invasive w**d species, feel free to reach out to Brette Graham at 541.429.7237

*Sponsored Post*

07/17/2024

The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), Child Welfare Division, asks the public to help find Lance Oyler, age 14, a child who went missing from Hillsboro on June 2. Lance is still missing and is believed to be in danger, ODHS is searching for him to assess his safety.

ODHS asks the public for help in the effort to find Lance and to contact 911 or local law enforcement if they believe they see him.

Lance is suspected to be in Hillsboro, Beaverton and Portland area. He may have an injured arm.

Name: Lance Oyler
Pronouns: He/him
Height: 121 pounds
Weight: 5-foot-4
Date of birth: Nov. 18, 2009
Eye color: Brown and green
Hair color: Light Brown
Hillsboro Police Department case #24-0010898
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children #2023214

07/16/2024

Wildfire has closed a section of US395 at the intersection of I-84 (Old Oregon Trail Highway) between MP 2-3.

All lanes are affected – Northbound and Southbound, shoulders and medians.

Notice time: 1:46 p.m. 07/16/2024

Visit https://tripcheck.com/ for updates.

07/16/2024

The Nicht-Yow-Way Senior Center is closed until further notice due to a gas leak this morning, Tuesday, July 16.

07/16/2024

General Council Notification of Cancellation July 18, 2024

Due to the passing of a tribal member and out of respect for the family, General Council officers have voted unanimously to cancel this week’s meeting.

It is the traditional practice upon the passing of a CTUIR tribal member the General Council office will pause and honor the family/families.

The next General Council meeting is scheduled for August 15, 2024.

07/16/2024

The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), in partnership with Oregon Land Justice Project and Pandion, is offering a free to tribal members hunter education class and hunt camp Aug. 14 – 18.

The hunter education course will accommodate up to 20 students, age 10 and older, and run Aug. 14-16. Hunting camp in the Blue Mountains will follow for up to 10 students, age 12 and older, Aug. 16-18.

CTUIR staff will teach the hunter education class which will include rifle safety, proper handling of rifles and shotguns, hunting ethics, wildlife conservation and lead-free ammunition.

Weekend hunt camp involves hunt in the Blue Mountains, field dressing and processing of game. Participants will not need a firearm. Camp participants will need appropriate clothing and a bed roll or sleeping bag.

To register or for more information, call Andrew Wildbill 541-429-7282 or Clifford Stanger 541-429-7249.

https://ctuir.org/events/2024-ctuir-tribal-hunter-education-class/

07/11/2024

The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), Child Welfare Division, asks the public to help find Anna Gabriella Villarreal, age 15, a child in foster care who went missing from Ontario on June 30. Anna is believed to be in danger.

ODHS asks the public for help in the effort to find Anna and to contact 911 or local law enforcement if they believe they see her.

Anna is suspected to be in Ontario or San Diego, California.

Name: Anna Gabriella Villarreal
Pronouns: She/her
Date of birth: Nov. 19, 2008
Height: 5-foot-5
Weight: 126 pounds
Hair: Brown with a reddish tint
Eye color: Brown eyes
Other identifying information: Anna has a pierced left eyebrow and nose. She has small tattoos on her hands and ankles.
Ontario Police Department Case
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children #2025440

07/11/2024

*Sponsored Post*

Registration is now open for the upcoming WIWNU Co-Ed Volleyball tournament presented by Yellowhawk Tribal To***co Prevention and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation’s Department of Children and Family Services’ Family Engagement Program.

The two-day tournament will take place Aug. 17-18 in the Nixyáawii Community School gym. There is an eight team limit with an eight player roster. Players must be 15-years or older. Open gym and team check-in will be at 5:30 p.m., Aug. 16.

Register online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WIWNU by Aug. 9.

For more information, contact Jay Stanley, 541-240-8575 or [email protected]