• Emergency Managers and Personnel
• Situation Reports
• National Incident Management System
• Grants & Assistance Programs
• Training
• Contacts
• Planning
• Best Practices

National Situation Update: Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Severe Weather is Forecast for Midwest on Wednesday

Midwest:  A storm system is expected to bring severe weather to the northern Plains, Upper Midwest, and the Great Lakes on Wednesday. Showers and thunderstorms including the threat of damaging winds and tornadoes may hit southern Michigan, northern Illinois, northern Indiana and northern Ohio. The storms are expected to move towards the Southeast later in the week. Highs in the Midwest will range from the 60s in the northern tier to the 90s in Illinois, Kentucky, and Kansas. 

South:  The storm system that brought extensive rain to eastern Texas yesterday is expected to move through western Texas tomorrow bringing some heavy rainfall that may cause some flash flooding. Some thunderstorms are also forecast for parts of North Carolina and Florida. Highs throughout the South will range from the 80s and 90s to 100+ in the Desert Southwest.

Northeast:  Except for some isolated showers and thunderstorms, most of the Northeast will see dry weather and warm temperatures on the first day of Summer. Highs will be mostly in the 70s and 80s, but could reach the 90s in Virginia.

West:  The vast majority of the West will be hot and dry with sunny weather. Temperatures will generally range from the 70s in the Pacific Northwest to 110 degrees in the Mohave Desert. (National Weather Service, Media sources)

Southeast Texas Flooding Update

The Texas Coastal Region continued to receive very heavy rain overnight, mainly over Calhoun and Matagorda Counties. The current storm system is expected to remain in the Houston, Harris County and Coastal areas for the next 12 to 24 hours. The heaviest rain is expected over the coastal plains, east of the I-35 corridor today in the next twelve hours, then moving westward over the I-35 corridor late tonight. Rainfall amounts during the heaviest periods will average 1 to 3 inches, with isolated spots receiving up to 6 inches of rain in a 12-hour period. River flooding is not likely. The flood watch for the Houston area has been discontinued.  Harris County is reporting approximately 78 houses with minor to moderate damage and approximately $1 million in damage within their school district.  The City of Houston is conducting damage assessments.
 
No fatalities or injuries have been reported as a result of flooding. 

The State is anticipating demobilizing its resources at 0600 CDT June 21, 2006.  There has been no request for State assets by local jurisdictions. There is no request for federal assistance.  FEMA Region VI is maintaining contact with the State of Texas SOC.  There are no more conference calls planned for this event.  (FEMA Region VI, Texas SOC)

Arizona Wildfire

BRINS Fire:  Fire officials report progress Tuesday in suppression of the 2,000-acre Brins Fire while cautioning that a significant risk remains to hundreds of homes in Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon, Arizona.  The Brins Fire is located two miles north of Sedona in the Coconino National Forest where a preliminary investigation determined the fire originated from a transient campfire on Sunday afternoon.  The five percent containment reported Monday night is expected to improve with Tuesday evening's estimate; no new figure at this time.  Spotting, including a significant spot fire within Oak Creek Canyon, is a major concern.

Over 400 homes and five businesses are reported threatened including all of Oak Creek Canyon; no structures are currently damaged.  Over 600 homes remain evacuated in Oak Creek Canyon and subdivisions of Sedona.  Two Red Cross shelters remain activated in Flagstaff and Sedona and residents are also sheltering in nearby hotels.  State Route 89A remains closed in both directions from northern Oak Creek Canyon to northern Sedona.  Interstate Highway 17 to the east (Phoenix-to-Flagstaff) remains open in both directions.

The on-site Type-2 Incident Management Team is transitioning command to a Type-1 IMT Tuesday evening while fire personnel have tripled since Monday's initial attack to 457, including seven helicopters and 31 engines.  Priorities include fire line construction to slow northeast fire spread into Oak Creek Canyon.  Extreme fire indices are reported: daytime high temperatures in the high 90's, nine percent humidity and erratic winds of 10-15 mph.  Continued hot, dry weather is forecast long-term in the southwest. 

The Arizona State EOC in Phoenix remains activated at watch level 24/7 with support agencies alerted.  The Coconino County EOC is activated 24/7.  One American Red Cross shelter is established at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff and one ARC shelter is established at an elementary school in Sedona.

A Fire Management Assistance Grant was approved by FEMA Region IX on Sunday evening.  No other requests for Federal assistance at this time beyond Federal agency firefighting resources.  FEMA Region IX will continue to monitor wildfire activity and response. (FEMA Region IX, Arizona Division of Emergency Management, and media reports)

Colorado Wildfire

MATO VEGA (MALO VEGA CREEK) (FEMA-2646-FM-CO):  This estimated 4,400 acre fire is burning in pinyon pine, juniper and grass, eight miles northeast of Ft. Garland, CO on the northwest side of CO Highway 160.  A Type 2 IMT is assigned.  Two hundred primary structures are potentially threatened.  No structures have been reported destroyed.  The community of Wagon Creek to the south has been evacuated.  Colorado Highway 160 is closed east of Ft. Garland to LaVeta Pass.  Running and torching fire behavior is reported.  No containment has been reported.  There is no estimated containment date. Other than FEMA-2646-EM-CO, there is no request for federal assistance at this time. (FEMA Region VIII, U.S. Forest Service, CO OEM)

Wyoming Wildfire

ISABELLE:  This 500 acre fire of unknown cause is burning in timber, 25 miles southwest of Laramie, WY.  Five primary structures and 25 outbuildings are potentially threatened.  No structures have been destroyed.  The Lake Owen campground has been evacuated.  Poor access and extreme fire behavior are hampering containment efforts.  The fire is zero percent contained.  There is no estimated containment date. There is no request for federal assistance at this time. (FEMA Region VIII, U.S. Forest Service)

Utah Wildfires

NAVAJO MOUNTAIN 1:  This 3,350 acre lightning-caused fire is burning in timber on the Utah side of the Navajo Reservation, approximately 35 miles west/northwest of Page, AZ.  The Type 1 IMT will transfer command of the incident back to the local unit on June 20.  Cultural areas are threatened.  No structures are threatened.  No structures have been destroyed.  Remote and extreme terrain, and low relative humidity are impeding containment efforts.  The fire is 65 percent contained.  There is no estimated containment date.

DUTCH:  This 1,760 acre human-caused fire is burning in grass, sagebrush and juniper, 30 miles southeast of Wendover, UT.  No structures are threatened.  No structures have been destroyed.  The fire is 90 percent contained.  There is no estimated containment date.  No new information was received.

BELL:  This 800 acre fire of unknown cause is burning timber, grass and brush, ten miles southwest of Fairfield, UT.  The number of structures threatened is not known.  No structures have been destroyed.  The fire is 20 percent contained with an estimated containment date of June 20. There is no request for federal assistance at this time. (FEMA Region VIII, U.S. Forest Service)

High Surf Advisories in Southern California

A high surf advisory has been issued by the National Weather Service for five coastal areas in Southern California that will be in effect until 12:00 midnight EDT Wednesday (Catalina Island, Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Diego County, and Ventura County). Surf is expected to reach 5-7 feet high and create rip currents. The large waves are expected to gradually diminish during the next 24 hours. The unusual wave action was caused by hurricane force winds off the coast of New Zealand in the South Pacific. No deaths or injuries have been reported.  (NOAA/National Weather Service, media sources)

Tropical Activity

Atlantic: No tropical storm activity.

Gulf of Mexico/Caribbean Sea: No tropical storm activity.

Eastern Pacific: No tropical storm activity

Western Pacific: No tropical storm activity. (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, Pacific Tsunami Warning Center West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Center)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)