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National Situation Update: Saturday, November 15, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

Northeast:  Much of the eastern US will see rain and gusty winds Saturday due to an area of low pressure and an associated cold front. The front will eventually move out to sea by late Saturday night and early Sunday as colder air moves into the region.  Some severe thunderstorms could develop ahead of the front from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia and the Delmarva along with the risk for damaging wind gusts, and a few tornadoes.

South:  A potent cold front will move through the South through today and will be accompanied by showers and thunderstorms.  Some thunderstorms may be severe from the eastern Gulf Coast to the Carolinas and a tornado or two may touch down.

West:  Santa Ana winds will continue to fuel fires across Southern California.  Winds will gust between 45 and 70 mph, especially in the mountains and humidity levels will be low.  Highs will be in the upper 80s and low 90s and some record highs are possible.

The offshore flow, very warm temperatures and low relative humidity will continue tomorrow, but the winds will diminish.  (NOAA, National Weather Service and Various Media Sources)

Tea Fire

Approximately 1,800 acres have burned and the fire is 0% contained.
There are no reports of fatalities; Santa Barbara County officials are reporting 13 injuries.
There are 1,500 structures threatened.
There were 111 residences destroyed; nine (9) residences damaged.
The fire is burning within Santa Barbara city limits.
There were mandatory evacuation orders for 4,500 residents and voluntary evacuations for another 4,500 residents.
Mandatory evacuations in Montecito, Santa Barbara City and areas within Santa Barbara County.
Extreme fire behavior continues to push the fire on to the community.
A Red Flag Alert remains in effect in Santa Barbara County. Portion of the communities of Montecito and Santa Barbara City remain without power due to downed power distribution and transmission lines.
ARC reports 210 clients registered for overnight stay at San Marcos High School (capacity of 400). 800 students remain sheltered in place at Westmont College.
Governor Schwarzenegger proclaimed a State of Emergency for Santa Barbara County.
Santa Barbara County Emergency Operations Center (EOC), City of Montecito EOC, and OES Southern Region Emergency Operations Center (REOC) are activated.  (FEMA Region IX , CalFire Report 14 Nov/1915 PST, Santa Barbara County CA)

Wind Cooperates With Firefighters in CA Blaze

Firefighters were holding their own Friday against a wildfire that destroyed more than 100 homes in a wealthy, celebrity-studded enclave, but authorities warned that evening wind gusts could send the blaze on another destructive sprint.

Much of the damage to homes and a small Christian college occurred Thursday night, but several more homes burned Friday in Montecito. More than 1,000 firefighters worked to contain the 1,800-acre blaze ahead of winds that were expected to pick up through Friday night and into early Saturday morning.

"It's not a time to relax," said a Santa Barbara County Deputy Fire Chief. "Everybody's got to be diligent through tonight. It's the last evening of these wind events."  The streets were quiet Friday night as a smoky haze lingered over the area, the flames not visible from the roadblocks posted throughout the community.

The Deputy Chief said up to 200 homes may have burned in the area and asked for patience from residents as crews try to catalog the devastation in remote hilly areas accessible only by winding roads.

"We want to make sure the area is completely safe before we let people back in there," the Santa Barbara City Fire Chief said. "I have to beg, basically, for your patience."

Winds gusting to 70 mph, dry brush and oil-rich eucalyptus trees helped turn an ordinary brush fire into an exploding inferno that quickly consumed rows of luxury homes and part of Westmont College, where students spent the night in a gymnasium shelter.

A state of emergency was declared in Santa Barbara County and about 5,440 homes were evacuated in Montecito, a town of 14,000.  One family stopped to check on neighbors and found them trapped behind their automatic car gate, which was stuck because the power was out.

Fueled by vast stands of oil-rich eucalyptus trees - which exploded when lit - and decades of chaparral and other growth, the fire quickly spread to about 1,500 acres - more than 2 square miles - by Friday. Earlier the fire had been estimated to be about 2,500 acres, but the estimate was lower after better aerial mapping was conducted, said the city fire chief.  Ten people were treated for smoke inhalation and three others had burns, said a spokeswoman with the county emergency operations center. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital reported receiving three patients with substantial burns.

At Westmont College, a Christian liberal arts school, 1,000 students were evacuated. About 300 spent the night on cots in the gym. Some stood in groups praying; others sobbed openly and comforted each other.  Flames chewed through a eucalyptus grove on the 110-acre campus and destroyed several buildings housing the physics and psychology departments, at least three dormitories and 14 faculty homes, a college spokesman said.

About 200 people spent the night at an evacuation center at a high school in nearby Goleta.
Flames had licked at the home of one couple but it was still standing when they returned Friday morning - something they attributed to lots of weed-whacking to clear the brush around the home.

Montecito suffered a major fire in 1977, when more than 200 homes burned. A fire in 1964 burned about 67,000 acres and damaged 150 houses and buildings.  (Media Sources)

Virginia Fertilizer Spill

On November 13, 2008, a tank collapsed in Chesapeake, VA spilling about 2 million gallons of Urea Nitrate liquid fertilizer.

No fatalities were reported.  Two (2) welders working on the tank during the collapse were taken to a local hospital for treatment.  Six other workers were exposed but were treated at the scene and released.

There are no shelters operating, but there are about 12 families temporarily housed in local hotels.

The VA state Department of Environmental Quality oversaw cleanup.  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Chesapeake Fire Department and several private contractors worked to remove the liquid fertilizer.

There were no local or state requests for emergency declarations and there is no anticipated requirement for Federal assistance.

FEMA Region III is monitoring.   (FEMA Region III)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic/Caribbean:
A surface trough of low pressure located about 300 miles east of the southern Windward Islands is producing a large area of showers and thunderstorms.  While pressures are low in this area upper-level winds are not favorable for development.

Elsewhere tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.

Eastern Pacific:
No tropical cyclone formation is expected during the next 48 hours.

Western Pacific:
No current tropical cyclone warnings. (NOAA, HPC, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

On November 14, 2008 at 11:03 PM EST, a magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck the Adreanoff Islands (Aleutian Islands, AK) at a depth of 27.3 miles.  There were no initial reports of damage or injuries, and no Tsunami was generated. (USGS, Earthquake Hazards Program, West Coast & Alaska Tsunami Warning Center, Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, Caribbean Tsunami Warning Center)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

Illinois; November 13, 2008 amendment No. 4 to the major disaster declaration for the State of Illinois (FEMA-1800-DR) (Severe Storms and Flooding Sep 13- Oct 5) adds Peoria County for Individual Assistance. (FEMA HQ)