Gorge Commission Approves Management Plan Amendment for Disaster Recovery
Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area
White Salmon, WA (January 14, 2026)
On January 13, 2026, the Columbia River Gorge Commission unanimously adopted an amendment to the Management Plan for the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. This amendment addresses landowners’ needs for an expedited path to recovery after the Rowena and Burdoin fires this past summer. The successful passage of this plan amendment was made possible through a joint effort by the Gorge Commission, USDA Forest Service, and Wasco County, and was informed by the shared experiences of fire-affected landowners. The Gorge Commission and Forest Service sought and received meaningful public comment and consulted with Columbia River Treaty Tribes. These engagements resulted in material improvements to the final language of the amendment. “The Gorge Commission is very grateful for the time the staff of the four tribes committed to helping us better understand how the plan amendment policies could be improved to protect cultural resources during the recovery,” said Krystyna Wolniakowski, Executive Director. “Consultation with the tribes and feedback from residents of the National Scenic Area is a critically important part of our work.”
The plan amendment gives landowners ten years to rebuild structures that were destroyed, instead of the current two years. It also allows landowners to place and use an RV and a temporary structure on their property until they rebuild. Lastly, it clarifies the standards that replacement structures must meet to qualify for expedited review.
These new standards give landowners more flexibility and certainty. For the first time, the Gorge Commission directed counties to apply the new guidelines directly from the Management Plan while they are enacting the new guidelines into their land use ordinances. This allows landowners to take advantage of the new guidelines right away.
The plan amendment will be effective as soon as the Secretary of Agriculture concurs with it, a step required by the National Scenic Area Act. The Secretary of Agriculture has 90 days to review and concur with the plan amendment. Once concurrence occurs, the counties can begin to immediately apply the new guidelines.
“Following the devastating Rowena fire, Wasco County appreciated the opportunity to collaborate closely with the Gorge Commission to provide real solutions to disaster recovery and their immediate support to help our fire-impacted communities in the National Scenic Area,” said Wasco County Community Development Director Kelly Howsley Glover.
The new guidelines are on the Gorge Commission’s website at www.gorgecommission.org. Landowners affected by the fire should contact the Gorge Commission or Wasco County staff to discuss how the new guidelines can help them.
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The Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area encompasses 292,500 acres of Washington and Oregon, where the Columbia River cuts a spectacular river canyon through the Cascade Mountains. The USDA Forest Service manages National Forest lands in the National Scenic Area and works together with the Columbia River Gorge Commission to protect and enhance scenic, natural, cultural, and recreational resources of the Columbia River Gorge while encouraging local economic development consistent with that protection. Learn more about the USDA Forest Service at www.fs.usda.gov/crgnsa and more information about the Gorge Commission at www.gorgecommission.org.