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National Situation Update: Tuesday, January 3, 2006

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

Conditions will remain dry across the southern Plains and Texas where winds may pick up. The fire danger will remain high. Red Flag Warnings are posted for central Oklahoma south into the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Winds will be 20 mph with gusts above 30 mph, humidity will be less than 20 per cent and temperatures will rise into the 70s. Most of the remainder of both Texas and Oklahoma, and portions of Arkansas are under Fire Weather Watches.

Southern California will improve after the latest onslaught of heavy rain although Coastal Flood Warnings remain in effect until Tuesday evening. In northern California, rivers have crested and are receding.  Rainfall forecast over the next few days is expected to cause some minor fluctuations in the rivers but no renewed rises.

A building ridge of high pressure aloft will bring the next storm northward and affect areas of the West Coast from San Francisco to Washington on Tuesday. Gale-force winds are expected along the Pacific Northwest Coast. (NWS)

Oklahoma Wildfires

Fires have now been reported in Haskell, Kingfisher, Lincoln, Logan and Osage counties, bringing to 29 the number of Oklahoma counties experiencing wildfires since last Tuesday. The other counties are: Bryan, Canadian, Carter, Cherokee, Choctaw, Cotton, Garfield, Garvin, Grady, Hughes, Johnston, Love, McCurtain, McIntosh, Muskogee, Okfuskee, Oklahoma, Okmulgee, Payne, Pontotoc, Pushmataha, Rogers, Seminole and Tulsa.

Approximately 285,000 acres have burned since November 27, 2005. More than 200 homes have been destroyed. Four deaths and one serious injury are attributed to the wildfires. The State reports more than 1,000 people have evacuated their homes. No shelters are open but 60 families are in hotels.

Monday a large fire continued to burn in an area extending from Prague to Paden to Depew. Additionally, fires were working near Cashion, Prue, Shamrock, Kellyville, Skiatook and Wainright. On Sunday fires were reported in areas near Depew/Bristow, Wainwright, Prague, Guthrie, Cashion, Stigler, Skiatook, Prue, Kellyville, Slick and Mayesville.

Critical fire weather conditions prevailed across parts of Oklahoma Monday. While not as critical as Sunday, a Red Flag Warning was in effect. The central part of the State is under a Red Flag Warning on Tuesday. A Fire Weather Watch is in effect for most of the rest of the state. Winds will generally be southerly across Oklahoma with temperatures in the 70s.  Relative humidities will be around 20 percent. Wednesday will see very high to extreme fire weather conditions similar to today. Fire weather conditions will relax on Thursday with a possible return by late next weekend.

Oklahoma has established an Incident Command Post (ICP) in Shawnee. The ICP continues to serve as a centralized point for coordination of the firefighting resources. State forestry firefighters from Alabama, Tennessee, Florida,  and North Carolina are working out of the ICP. These additional resources are part of Governor Brad Henry’s request to pre-position firefighting equipment and personnel throughout the state to assist area fire departments with initial attack. Each unit of firefighters arrived with wildland firefighting engines and bulldozers.

The State Emergency Operations Center (EOC) remains activated to support State fire suppression activities. (State of Oklahoma, Region VI)

Texas Wildfires

The State of Texas in the last 24-hour period responded to 58 fires statewide. 

Seventy two homes were lost and 174 homes were saved.  Texas aircraft flew 122 missions dropping in excess of 147,350 gallons of fire retardant.  Since December 26^th, there have been 139 fires burning approximately 80,219 acres.  For the same period, there have been 278 homes lost and 241 homes saved.

Evacuations were successfully conducted last night to protect citizens in Nacona and Montague Counties. Approximately 3200 residents to include two nursing homes and one small hospital were evacuated without incident. In total, Texas estimates there have been 5,000 evacuations. Four shelters were open Monday but had no residents.

Today conditions will replicate the past intense period of high winds, low humidity and above average temperatures.  Windy conditions are expected with a weak cold front Tuesday night and a stronger front on Thursday. The major concern is the resumption of intense winds.  Gusts will again approach 40 mph.  Dry conditions will continue for at least the next week and temperatures will remain above normal.  Elevated fire danger will continue with very low fuel moisture and relative humidity in the lower teens to single digits in West Central Texas. 

Texas Forest Service is providing overall coordination of wildfire fighting efforts. The American Red Cross (ARC) is standing by to assist relief efforts were necessary.

The Texas Civil Air Patrol flew 29 hours and detected 1 fire. Fire suppression equipment, including dozers, fire engines and aircraft are being utilized to combat the fires.  These resources are pre-positioned in high risk and high occurrence areas.

 (State of Texas, Region VI)

Fire Management Assistance Grants

The most recently approved FMAGS follow:

• #2599 Wainwright Fire Complex, OK, threatening Muskogee, - 11,783 homes. Approved on 1/1/06 at 1107 EST.
• #2600 Hobbs Fire, NM, threatening Hobbs and Tatum, - more than 10,000 people evacuated. Approved on 1/1/06 at 1023 EST.
• #2601 Shamrock Complex Fire, OK, threatening Drumright and Shamrock, - 200 homes and 3,000 people. Approved on 1/2/06 at 1309 EST.
• #2602 Bethel Acres Fire, OK, threatening Bethel - 50 homes and 200 people. Approved on 1/2/06 at 1309 EST.
• #2603 Cashion Fire, OK, threatening Cashion and Cimarron - 100 homes and 400 people. Approved on 1/2/06 at 1909 EST.
• #2604 Guthrie Fire, OK, threatening Guthrie - 100 homes and 320 people. Approved on 1/2/06 at 1909 EST.
• #2605 Sapulpa Fire, OK, threatening Kellyville - 6,500 homes and 20,000 people. Approved on 1/2/06 at 1909 EST.
• #2606 Prague Fire Complex, OK, threatening Prague, Wellfor, Padgen, Arlington, Tyron, Perkins, Agra, Midway, Gypsie and Micow – 2,600 homes. Approved on 1/2/06 at 1909 EST.
• #2607 63^rd Street Fire, OK, threatening Alma Subdivision in Oklahoma City - 84 homes and 600 people evacuated. Approved on 1/2/06 at 1909 EST.(FEMA HQ)

California Flooding

California’s Governor declared a State of Emergency today for seven storm impacted Northern California counties as the current storm passes over the central valley and a new storm passes over Southern California.  Counties in today’s State declaration include Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino, Napa, Sacramento, Sonoma and Trinity; these were all the counties that requested a State declaration, and additional counties may be included in subsequent declarations.  Napa and Sonoma Counties have requested the establishment of State local assistance centers. 

The State reports the overall situation to be improving.  Utilities report approximately 44,000 households statewide currently without power as of Monday morning.

Napa and Guerneville are considered the most impacted cities in California, according to the State. In Napa County, overflow from the Napa River has put areas of Napa city under four feet of floodwaters.  Initial local assessments indicate approximately 1,500 residences and 100 businesses affected by floodwaters, including vineyards and agricultural lands.  The State EOC has received a preliminary local estimate of $50-70 million of damage for Napa County.  A similar preliminary estimate has been received for Guerneville in Sonoma County following flooding of the Russian River, according to the State.

In Southern California, a heavily anticipated storm is swiftly moving east with no major impacts reported to date.  Following Monday’s precipitation (2-4 inches cumulative), clearing conditions are forecast across the southland over the next five to six days.  Flood and Flash Flood Warnings remain posted for 2003 burn areas on south-facing mountain slopes.

The State EOC remains activated 24 hours daily. 

There is no request for Federal assistance at this time. The FEMA Region IX RRCC is activated at level 3, with Duty Officer Watch.  A FEMA Region IX State Liaison is assigned at the state EOC. (Region IX)

Nevada Flooding

The National Weather Service forecasts the current Pacific storm over Northern California and Northern Nevada to pass east of the Sierra’s Monday night, followed by a five to six day drying trend of clear to cloudy conditions.  Colder mountain temperatures are bringing snow levels below 5,000 feet and reducing storm runoff to rivers. A Flood Warning remains in effect through Tuesday morning for portions of the Carson River. The Flood Warning for the Truckee River in Nevada is cancelled.  The storm approaching Southern California is not expected to impact Northern Nevada.

The State reports a preliminary figure 150 total homes damaged, mostly from flooding, in five counties – Carson, Douglas, Lyon, Storey and Washoe. Nearly all of evacuation notices issued for 400 homes have been lifted as rivers are receding. Sierra Pacific Power reports approximately 15,000 customers without power in the northern half of the Lake Tahoe basin due to transmission line damage from fallen trees and wind.  Approximately 40,000 Northern Nevada customers have experienced power outages at some time since storm activity began.  Remote, rugged terrain hampers access and repairs of transmission lines.

Interstate Hwy 80 on the California side of the border reopened this morning after a Saturday mudslide was cleared allowing Reno vacationers and trucking to re-access Northern California.  U.S. Hwy 395 remains closed near Genoa in Douglas County.

All shelters had been closed; one shelter reopened tonight in Reno for potential evacuees from Tahoe basin power outage but had no occupants by 7 p.m. Monday evening. 

The state EOC remains activated.  Nevada reports adequate resources to address the situation.  No state emergency declaration has been made at this time.

There is no request for Federal assistance at this time.  A FEMA Region IX State Liaison is assigned at the state EOC in Carson City. (Region IX)

Tropical Activity

Tropical Storm Zeta is now about 1,400 miles east-northeast of the Leeward Islands and continues to pose no threat to land. Zeta is now forecast to decrease to Tropical Depression strength on Tuesday.

There is no tropical activity in the Eastern, Western or Central Pacific Ocean. (Source: USDOC/NOAA/NWS, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center, and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

No new activity (Source: United States Geological Survey (USGS) Earthquake Hazards Program )

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)