National Situation Update: Saturday, June 23, 2007
Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).
National Weather Summary
Midwest: Thunderstorms will move across Kansas, southern Iowa, Missouri, Illinois and western Kentucky Saturday, June 23, 2007.
A front will move out north of the Midwestern region from the northern Great Lakes to southern Manitoba Saturday, June 23, 2007 and Sunday, June 24, 2007 with isolated severe thunderstorms near the Canadian border.
South: Scattered severe thunderstorms will align the front Saturday, June 23, 2007 across Tennessee, northern Georgia and South Carolina. Isolated thunderstorms could redevelop in this zone on Sunday, June 24, 2007.
Northeast: On Sunday, June 24, 2007 a cold front will move through New York and New England, causing scattered thunderstorms as far south as Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
West: A few thunderstorms could occur Saturday, June 23, 2007 and Sunday, June 24, 2007 in Colorado and New Mexico.
Over the next 3 days, thunderstorms could occur from eastern Washington to Montana as disturbances move onshore ahead of a big system offshore and a cold front shifts eastward across the Northwest. (NWS, Media Sources)
WI Chemical Fire
A fire was reported at 7:00 am EDT, June 22, 2007 at Waste Research and Reclamation (recycling facility) located in the Town of Washington, outside of Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Emergency Management continues to monitor the fire. Fire crews began to fight the fire at 12:45 pm EDT. At 2:00 pm EDT, the fire was declared to be controlled and contained.
At approximately 3:00 pm EDT, the incident command determined the situation was now a local response and state resources in the incident command were released. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Department of Health and Family Services (DHFS) will remain on site for further monitoring and remediation.
There are no reports of injury or death.
A half-mile evacuation around the plant is still in effect for the Town of Washington. Evacuees are being sheltered at the town hall.
Both lanes of Highway 93 remain closed from Golf Road to about 1-1/2 mile south.
Interstate 94 was temporarily closed starting at 12:30 pm EDT., between exits 59 and 70. The westbound interstate was reopened after 2:00 pm EDT and the eastbound interstate reopened at 2:45 pm EDT.
On scene is the Level A Hazardous Material Team from Eau Claire & Chippewa Falls.
Technical assistance from the DHFS was requested from the Wisconsin DNR and local health department regarding the smoke plume associated with the fire.
The Bureau of Environmental and Occupation Health staff provided advice to the Eau Claire City/County Health Department which issued a Health Advisory. Additional staff was at the site to conduct air quality monitoring with specialized equipment and provide additional technical assistance as needed. Six air monitoring sites have not identified any health safety concerns.
Wisconsin Emergency Management partially activated the state Emergency Operations Center in Madison about 9:30 am EDT and deactivated at about 3:30 pm EDT.
DHS/FEMA Region V Operations is in communication with the State EOC and will continue to monitor this event. No requests for Federal assistance are anticipated. (FEMA Region V)
Alaska Wildfire
Firefighters are assessing damages in the Ninilchik 40 Subdivision and the Caribou Hills Recreation area after the 20,000 acre Caribou Hills Fire moved into the area Thursday night, June 21, 2007.
The areas were evacuated although it's not known how many people were affected or how many structures were burned. (The subdivision has about 300 homes and the recreation area has hundreds of cabins.)
The fire remains about 14 miles east of Ninilchik, well inland, and is not threatening Homer, Anchor Point, Ninilchik, Clam Gulch or Kasilof. Fire managers are working to assess the extent of the fires movement and the damage done. There will also be firefighters in the Caribou Lakes subdivision assessing the area and creating a protection plan, should the fire continue to approach.
Mid-day fire growth proceeded steadily with some localized airtanker and helicopter support. Continuous fuels, beetle kill, and inaccessibility mixed with structures lead to the initiation of interagency evacuation efforts and 2 additional airtankers. Afternoon runs to the north and east dramatically increased the fire size.
No injuries have been reported. Evacuations occurred and a shelter is open in Ninilchik, AK. (FEMA Region X)
Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)
FEMA-2699-FM-AK was approved for the Caribou Hills Fire in Ninilchik, AK (FEMA HQ)
Tropical Weather Outlook
Atlantic/Caribbean/Gulf of Mexico:
Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.
Eastern Pacific:
Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.
Western Pacific:
No significant activity. (NOAA, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)
Earthquake Activity
No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Preliminary Damage Assessments
Kansas: Individual Assistance and Public Assistance PDAs for 17 counties that began on June 17, 2007 are completed.
Montana: Individual Assistance and Public Assistance PDAs for three Tribal entities and three counties that began on June 18, 2007 are completed.
Nebraska: Individual Assistance and Public Assistance PDAs for 18 counties that began on June 18, 2007 are expected to be complete today, June 23, 2007.
Oklahoma: Public assistance PDAs for six counties, which began on June 11, 2007 have been postponed due to continuing severe weather. (FEMA HQ)
Wildfire Update
National Preparedness Level: 2
States Most Affected: Alaska, Idaho, Nevada
National Fire Activity as of Friday, June 22, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. EDT:
Initial attack activity: Light (160 new fires)
New large fires: 3
Large fires contained: 1
Uncontained large fires: 10
Weather Discussion: Hot, dry weather continued across the West. Isolated, mainly dry thunderstorms over eastern Arizona and western Colorado. Winds increased over northeast California and western Nevada. In the Southeast, dry weather persisted except for some thunderstorms over Florida. The eastern interior of Alaska has warm, dry weather with isolated thunderstorms. (National Interagency Fire Center, National Incident Information Center)
Disaster Declaration Activity
FEMA-1705-DR-IA is amended effective June 22, 2007 to include three counties for Individual Assistance.
Joint Field Office for FEMA-1703-DR-KY will close effective July 6, 2007.(FEMA HQ)
Last Modified: Monday, 25-Jun-2007 08:05:08 EDT