National Situation Update: Thursday, November 20, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

Northeast
Another northerly flow of unseasonably cold air will move across Lakes Erie and Ontario, creating heavy lake effect snow until early Friday afternoon.  Snow showers are expected across West Virginia, Pennsylvania and the western portion of New York.  A Winter Storm Watch will be in effect for southwest Pennsylvania, beginning this evening until Friday afternoon.
Midwest
The cold front moving across the Great Lakes will reinforce the unseasonably cold air over the region.  Lake effect snow showers are expected to develop over the north central portion of the Midwest and increase in coverage and intensity throughout the day.  Heavy accumulations are likely in some areas.  A Lake Effect Snow Warning is in effect for northeast Minnesota, northern Wisconsin, northern Michigan and northern Indiana until early Friday afternoon.  A Winter Storm Watch is in effect for north central North Dakota until this afternoon.
South
A cold front will move south through Oklahoma and Texas towards the Gulf of Mexico.  Brisk winds will prevail in the Mid-South and areas west of the Mississippi River; sunny skies are expected throughout the South.  A Weather Watch will be in effect for the Baltimore/D.C. area from this evening through Friday evening.  A Freeze Warning is in effect for northeast and east-central Florida until 8:00 a.m. EST.  A Red Flag Warning is in effect for northeast and east-central Florida until 5:00 p.m. EST.  A Fire Weather Watch is in effect for west-central Florida until Thursday afternoon, while northern and central Georgia will remain under a watch until Friday afternoon.  Flood Warnings continue for southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana.
West
A cold front will move through the Pacific Northwest and northern California today delivering light showers.  Another round of Santa Ana winds will affect southern California beginning this evening.
A Fire Weather Watch will be in effect for the Santa Ynez Range and the south coast of Santa Barbara county from Thursday evening through Friday morning.  (NOAA, National Weather Service and Various Media Sources)

California Wildfires

State Actions:

  • California OES Southern Emergency Operations Center is at 12-hour operations, day shift, with night duty officer, in Los Alamitos
  • Local Assistance Centers have been established for Orange, Los Angeles, and Santa Barbara Counties

FEMA Region IX Actions

  • FEMA Regional Watch is operating at Steady State, 12/7 operations
  • The Joint Field Office (JFO) is operational in Pasadena, California
  • Regional ERT White team is in Pasadena, California
  • Regional liaisons are deployed to Southern Regional Emergency Operations Center (REOC) in Los Alamitos, and Geographic Area Coordination Center (GACC) for Southern Ops in Riverside

Federal Actions:

  • President declared Major Disaster Declaration FEMA-1810-DR on November 18, 2008 for the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and Santa Barbara.
  • Fire Management Assistance Grants FMAGs Issued:
  • Tea Fire - 2790, November 13, 2008
  • Sayre Fire - 2791, November 15, 2008
  • Triangle Complex (formerly the Freeway Complex) - 2792, November 15, 2008
  • 4 MDRCs located in Pasadena, California
  • Bothell MERS units in Pasadena, California
  • 4 Blackhawks are prepositioned in southern California and 2 Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems (MAFFS) are on alert in support of the upcoming wind event (Santa Ana Winds)
  • Preliminary Damage Assessments:
  • Los Angeles: IA and PA PDAs on-going
  • IA and PA PDAs complete for Santa Barbara, Orange and Riverside counties

Specific Fire Incidents: Freeway Complex Fire (Riverside/Orange/Los Angeles Counties):

  • Approximately 30,305 acres burned with 100 percent containment
  • 0 fatalities; 14 firefighters injured
  • Destroyed structures: 187 (+32) residences, 2 commercial properties, 11 outbuildings
  • Damaged structures: 127 (+23) residences, 2 commercial properties, 32 outbuildings
  • Shelter closed
  • All evacuations have been lifted    (Freeway Fire: Source -  Orange County Fire Authority)

  • Resources:     
  • Approximately 2,765 (-995) firefighting personnel assigned  
  • 344 (-193) Engines
  • 73 (-5) Hand crews
  • 8 (-14) Dozers
  • 9 (-1) Water tenders
  • 1 (-2) Helicopters
  • 204 Administrative personnel

Sayre Fire (Los Angeles County):

  • Approximately 11,244 acres burned with 85 percent containment
  • 0 fatalities; 3 (+1) firefighters injured
  • Destroyed structures: 479 residences, 1 commercial property, 142 (+18) outbuildings
  • Damaged structures: 148 (+10) residences, 4 (+1) commercial properties, 12 (+6) outbuildings
  • Threatened structures: 136 (-6) residences and 34 (-1) outbuildings
  • 2 shelters with 11 occupants
  • All evacuation orders have been lifted with the exception of the Oakridge Mobile Home Park
  • Resources:                                                                                       (Sayre Fire: Source - Los Angeles Fire Dept.)
  • Approximately 1,360 (+59) firefighting personnel assigned
  • 116 Engines
  • 33 (-4) Hand crews
  • 22 Dozers
  • 8 (-2) Water Tenders
  • 6 Helicopters
  • 126 (+47) Administrative personnel

Tea Fire (Santa Barbara County):

  • The fire is currently listed at 1,940 acres and is 100% contained
  • 0 fatalities; 10 firefighters injured
  • Destroyed structures: 210 residences, 0 commercial property, 0 outbuildings
  • Damaged structures: 9 residences, 0 commercial properties, 0 outbuildings
  • Shelters closed
  • Resources:
  • Approximately 178 firefighting personnel assigned
  • 9 Engines
  • 8 Hand crews
  • 0 Dozers
  • 2 Water Tenders
  • 1 Helicopter
  • 28 Administrative personnel
  • A Boil Water Order is in effect for parts of the County  (FEMA Region IX, Red Cross NSS, CalFire Report, Santa Barbara County CA. Los Angeles City Fire Department, Orange County Fire Authority)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No significant activity  (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic/Caribbean:
No tropical cyclone formation is 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

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Last Modified: Thursday, 20-Nov-2008 08:13:34 EST