City Manager Marc Klebs updated The Dalles City Council on June 23 about the city’s response to the Rowena wildfire, saying an incident management team would be fully operational early the following week to coordinate recovery and donations and to organize volunteer support.

Klebs said the incident management team was being set up with participation from County emergency leadership; he cited a message from Sheriff McGill, who served as deputy incident commander. The team will coordinate volunteers, cash and material donations, and other recovery resources, Klebs said.

When the fire occurred, the city’s police and public works departments assisted with traffic control and evacuations and city staff coordinated with the Red Cross to support an evacuation center, Klebs said. The city also accepted and processed roughly 36,000 gallons of septic material at a city facility after Wasco County and North Central Public Health requested assistance; Klebs said the last load arrived June 18.

Klebs highlighted the performance of a contracted city Wi‑Fi system, installed in partnership with Q Life under a contract authorized by council last year. When cellular service became constrained by high call volumes during the event, devices were able to switch to the city Wi‑Fi and remain connected, Klebs said; staff will coordinate a press release with Q Life about the system’s role during the emergency.

Klebs said staff including the police chief, assistant city manager and public works personnel participated in coordination meetings during the fire response, and additional information would be made available as the incident management team organizes recovery work.