The fourth Smith River Community meeting, last Friday at the Del Norte Fairgrounds disclosed more encouraging news.First, Gasquet has been re-populated. Those Level Three residents are back in their homes.Second, Pacific Power has provided a mega generator to Gasquet and surrounding areas providing electricity to those returning to their homes.#placement_573654_0_i{width:100%;max-width:550px;margin:0 auto;}var rnd = window.rnd || Math.floor(Math.random()*10e6);var pid573654 = window.pid573654 || rnd;var plc573654 = window.plc573654 || 0;var abkw = window.abkw || '';var absrc = 'https://ads.empowerlocal.co/adserve/;ID=181918;size=0x0;setID=573654;type=js;sw='+screen.width+';sh='+screen.height+';spr='+window.devicePixelRatio+';kw='+abkw+';pid='+pid573654+';place='+(plc573654++)+';rnd='+rnd+';click=CLICK_MACRO_PLACEHOLDER';var _absrc = absrc.split("type=js"); absrc = _absrc[0] + 'type=js;referrer=' + encodeURIComponent(document.location.href) + _absrc[1];document.write('');Finally, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Cal Trans, Oregon Dept of Transportation (ODOT), Oregon State Police and the Incident Management Team 2 has now opened 199 traffic via escort along a 27 mile corridor between both states. Traffic is limited to single lane and will operate 24 hours a day. As road conditions improve, and the 3,031 boots on the ground firefighters continue to increase the containment perimeter surrounding the many hot spots, the escort service will be ramped down and traffic will resume to pre-fires status, according to the Team 2 Incident Management Team. Sheriff Garrett Scott Courtesy photo Friday’s Community Meeting included fire, law enforcement and utility experts Kathy Allen. Gasquet District Ranger. Sheriff Garrett Scott, CHP Lt. Commander Pete Roach, Austin Wariner, Pacific Power, Donny Dumont, Dan Pearson, Dave Bales and Bill Morse of the Incident Management Team 2.Morse announced 83,974 acres has been destroyed by the 19 remaining Smith River Complex of fires.Sheriff Scott reiterated the fires destroyed between eight-ten structures, but to date, no lives, either residents or firefighters have been lost. Once the fires have been contained, deputies will access the area forn complete and accurate reporting. Pacific Power spokesman Austin Warriner Courtesy photo Austin Warriner, Pacific Corp. spokesman updated the audience on the re-energizing of the power conduit but was not able to announce the re-opening question. After the meeting, The Triplicate related questions to Warriner about diesel and gasoline usage by the mega-generators currently powering Del Norte.Warriner referred me to Simon Gutierrez of Pacific Power who stated Pacific Corp.was a highly regulated stockholder-owned company and declined to discuss specifics about energy costs. When asked if the Pac Power customer would be paying for the additional cost of fuel, Gutierrez was more specific. “Pacific Power rates are determined by the California Public Utilities Commission. Customers can expect to be billed according to the current PUC rate. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('ad-1515727'); });