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National Situation Update: Thursday, November 29, 2007

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

West
A cold upper-level storm will bring rain and snow from Washington and Oregon eastward into Montana and western Wyoming Thursday, November 29, 2007. 

There will be mostly rain showers west of the Cascades, snow to the east.

Several inches of fresh snow are likely in parts of the Cascades, Oregon's Blue and Wallowa Mountains, the mountains of central and southern Idaho, and Wyoming's Tetons. 

West of the Cascades, snow levels will be down to 1000 to 2000 feet in western Washington by late in the day.    (NWS, Media Sources)

CO Plant Explosion

At about 3:30 am MST (5:30 am EST) on November 28, 2007, an explosion occurred at the Williams Plant cooling tower (owned by Williams Production Company), in Ignacio, 18 miles southeast of Durango, CO.  The Williams Production Company produces natural gas from local coal-bed methane fields.

The explosion resulted in an emergency shutdown of the plant.  A warehouse was on fire and several offices were destroyed.  The fire was extinguished. 

The Durango Fire and Rescue Authority (DFRA) HazMat team was on scene and conducted assessments assuring chemicals were contained. 

There are no reports of injuries or fatalities. 

Local jurisdictions emergency services agencies responded.  In addition to the DFRA and Los Pinos Protection District firefighters, La Plata County sheriff's deputies, members of the County Office of Emergency Services and Southern Ute Indian Tribe emergency personnel were on scene.  There were no requests for State assistance.  (FEMA Region VIII)

So Cal Wildfire Update

Forest Service, Department of Interior and California State Interagency Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) teams are conducting ground and aerial reconnaissance on the recent southern California wildfires.

BAER teams consist of resource specialists such as Hydrologists, Soil Scientists, Geologists, Biologists and Engineers with experience working on BAER teams throughout California and the Western United States.

A Multi-Agency Support Group has also been established to provide overall coordination for federal and state BAER and damage assessment efforts by facilitating multi-agency coordination and communication, coordinating public information, and providing support to the individual BAER teams.

One of the first priorities for each BAER team is to finalize a Soil Burn Severity map to determine the pattern of the burn on the landscape.  The Soil Burn Severity map is critical as it "sets the stage" to assess potential impacts to resources and downstream values at risk.

Final Soil Burn Severity maps are complete for the following recent southern California fires: Buckweed Fire, Grass Valley Fire; Harris Fire, Poomacha Fire, Ranch Fire, Santiago Fire, Slide Fire, and Witch Fire.
So Cal BAER teams continue to coordinate during the emergency assessment and implementation phases with affected agencies, cooperators and other interested parties.   (INCIWEB)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No new activity to report. (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Information

History shows that earthquakes occur in the same general patterns year after year, principally in three large zones of the earth.  

• Circum-Pacific seismic belt (Ring of Fire)
  • The world's greatest earthquake belt is found along the rim of the Pacific Ocean.
  • This is where about 81 percent of the world's largest earthquakes occur.
• Alpide Belt
  • The second most seismic region is the Aliped belt extends from Mediterranean region, eastward through Turkey, Iran, and northern India.
  • Accounts for about 17 percent of the world's largest earthquakes, including some of the most destructive.  
• Mid-Atlantic Ridge
  • The third prominent belt follows the submerged mid-Atlantic ridge
• Additional Earthquake Areas
  • Damaging shocks occur occasionally outside the three main areas outlined above. Examples in the United States are New Madrid, Missouri, and Charleston, South Carolina.   (USGS)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic - Caribbean Sea - Gulf of Mexico
Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.

Eastern and Central Pacific:
The central Pacific hurricane season officially ends November 30, 2007. The Final Tropical weather outlook of the season will be issued at 10:00 pm EST on November 30, 2007. Regularly scheduled tropical weather outlooks will resume again on June 1, 2008.

Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.

Western Pacific:
No current tropical cyclone warnings affecting U.S. interests.  (NWS National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center, USN Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

On Wednesday, November 28, 2007 at 6:57 pm EST, a magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck at a depth of 38 miles, seven miles east-northeast from Skwetna, Alaska.  FEMA Region X reported there were no reports of damage or injuries.  There was no Tsunami generated as a result of this event.

On Thursday, November 29, 2007 at 3:26 am UTC (Wednesday, November 28, 2007 at 10:26 pm EST), a magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck at a depth of 6.2 miles about 1,540 miles west-southwest of Santiago, Chile.  No tsunami was generated as a result of this event.(USGS, Earthquake Hazards Program)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)