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National Situation Update: Wednesday, January 11, 2006

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

West: With another frontal system moving ashore more precipitation is in the forecast for the Pacific Northwest, Northern California and eastward as far as Colorado, Wyoming and Montana. Snow is forecast for the Olympics, Cascades, higher peaks of the Sierras, Wallowas, Bitterroots, Idaho ranges, Tetons, Wasatch and western Uintas.

Midwest: The frontal system moving out of the Midwest will produce precipitation in the Appalachians, eastern Ohio Valley and lower Great Lakes. Light showers are forecast across parts of Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky with a rain and snow mix in northern Indiana and Michigan.

South: The weak cold front will produce scattered showers across parts of Georgia and the Carolinas. Temperatures will remain well above average, ranging from the 50s to the 70s. The atmosphere is forecast to become drier so the fire danger will increase and red flag warnings will be widespread from the Southern Plains to Texas.

Northeast: The cold front will press through the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic and reach the East Coast by tonight. Showers are forecast from New England to northern Virginia. In northern New York and New England, there could be isolated areas of freezing rain. (National Weather Service and Various Media Sources)

Wildfire Update

Oklahoma:
Firefighters continued to respond to wildland fires across Oklahoma Monday as 12 new fires were reported.  Total acreage on these fires is estimated to be 3,268 acres.  Some fires continue to burn with acreages unreported.  Since November 1, 2005, total acreage burned is 382,713.

Approximately 14,000 firefighters from rural, volunteer and municipal fire departments across Oklahoma, as well as the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, have firefighters and equipment responding to fires as they occur.

Although slightly higher humidities and lower temperatures may provide short term assistance with fire behavior, weather conditions are expected to change soon.  As early as Thursday, higher temperatures and lower relative humidities may result in an increase in fire activity.

The State Emergency Operations Center (EOC) remains activated and continues to work in conjunction with the Incident Command Post to support local fire departments and other first responders battling wildfires across Oklahoma.

Texas:
As of January 10, the State of Texas was responding to 16 fires statewide.  There were no evacuations or homes lost.  Texas aircraft flew 21 missions and dropped 17,296 gallons of fire retardant on Monday January 9. Texas aircraft have now flown a total of 1,524 sorties dropping a total of 1,440,693 gallons of fire retardant.  Since December 26th, there have been 415 fires burning approximately 253,485 acres.  For the same period, there have been 339 homes lost and 1308 homes saved.

All available State resources are being positioned to support local jurisdictions' request for assistance. Currently the State of Texas has 94 aircraft, 126 bulldozers, 52 engines, and approximately 1412 State personnel in direct support of wildfire operations.  The Governor additionally directed that actions be taken to ensure local Volunteer Fire Departments (VFDs) have adequate fuel and maintenance support to enable them to continue their critical mission of initial response.  All state resources and capability continue to be prepared for immediate response.

Arkansas:
The three fires (Ward Lake in the Ouachita National Forest and the Cold Springs and Duck Head fires in the Buffalo National River, National Park Service) have been contained. (FEMA Region VI, National Interagency Fire Center)

Tropical Activity

There is no tropical activity affecting U.S. interests in the Atlantic or and Pacific Oceans. (Source: USDOC/NOAA/NWS, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center, and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

No significant earthquake activity during the past 24 hours in the United States or its Territories. (Source: United States Geological Survey (USGS) Earthquake Hazards Program)

Disaster Declaration Activity

On January 10, 2006 the President declared a major disaster for Oklahoma (FEMA-1623-DR-OK) for Severe Wildfire Threat for the period December 1, 2005, and continuing.

• Individual Assistance: (Assistance to individuals and households): The counties of Canadian, Cotton, Garvin, Hughes, Lincoln, Logan, Mayes, Okfuskee, Oklahoma, Pottawatomie, Seminole, and Stephens.
• Public Assistance: (Assistance to State and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations for emergency work and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities): All 77 counties in the State of Oklahoma for Category B emergency protective measures implemented on or after December 1, 2005. Emergency protective measures will include eligible costs as determined by FEMA to be resulting from wildfires that pose a significant threat to life and property in any county, or portion thereof, to be designated by FEMA in consultation with the State, for as long as such areas are threatened by an urgent danger of wildfires. This assistance will be limited to 75 percent Federal funding.
• Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (Assistance to State and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations for actions taken to prevent or reduce long term risk to life and property from natural hazards): All counties in the State of Oklahoma are eligible to apply for assistance under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.
• Additional designations may be made at a later date after further evaluation. (FEMA HQ)