ELCA NEWS SERVICE

August 24, 2004

Lutheran Retreat Center In Washington To Reopen August 29
04-153-JB

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Holden Village, Chelan, Wash., a Lutheran retreat
center threatened by wildfire earlier this month, will reopen with full
programming Aug. 29, according to an Aug. 23 news release posted on the
center's Web site.
     Guests and visitors will be welcome beginning Aug. 29, the release
said. "We are expecting any guest with reservations between August 25 and
29 to arrive [Aug. 29]," the release said.
     Nearby, the "Deep Harbor" wildfire had threatened access to the
remote retreat center, which is surrounded by the Glacier Peak Wilderness.
As a precaution, Holden Village officials, working with the Chelan County
Sheriff's Office, closed the retreat facility to guests Aug. 15 and
evacuated them.  Only a small staff remained along with U.S. Forest
Service crews.
     The fire has now been contained, and firefighting crews at Lucerne,
Wash., are being downsized, the release said.  Firefighters have completed
much of their work in reducing the threat of the fire, which remains south
of Bear Creek.
     "It is not smoky in the Village at this time, but wind and weather
conditions affect the air quality because of the number of fires
smoldering in the Cascades," the release said.
     An interagency firefighting team will lower the fire advisement for
Holden and Lucerne and Domke Lake, enabling Holden staff to return this
week and prepare the Village for its reopening, the Holden Village release
said. Structural protection measures such as fire hoses and sprinklers
around buildings will remain at Holden until the seasonal change, but will
be modified to allow safe access to the pathways of the Village. Brush has
been trimmed and cleared around the Village during this past week,
creating "significant defensible space," the news release said.
     Though the fire advisory has been lowered from Level 2 to Level 1,
many hiking trails will remain closed for a while, the release said.
---
     Information about Holden Village -- including reservations, which are
required -- is available at http://www.holdenvillage.org/ on the Web.


For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news