National Situation Update: Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

Northeast
A northerly flow of unseasonably cold air will continue to cross Lake Ontario, creating lake effect snow until early afternoon, while the remaining northeastern states should be precipitation-free.  A Lake Effect Snow Warning is in effect for northwest New York and a Freeze Warning is in effect for the New York Metro area until 12:00 p.m. EST.  Southwest Vermont is under a Winter Weather Advisory, which is in effect until 10:00 a.m. EST.
Midwest
A cold front will move aggressively eastward across the upper Midwest producing light snow from northeast North Dakota to Michigan.  A Lake Effect Snow Warning remains in effect today for portions of northern Michigan and a Lake Effect Snow Watch will be in effect from Wednesday evening through late Thursday night for northeast Wisconsin and northern Michigan.  This same system will push cold air southward over the Great Plains and upper Mississippi Valley.
South
Cold temperatures are forecast in the Southeast, including northern Florida, where record or near record-low temperatures are likely in some spots.  A Freeze Warning is in effect for South Carolina coastal areas, all of Georgia along with northeast and west central Florida until 9:00 a.m. EST.  Southern Georgia, the Panhandle of Florida and northeast Florida are under a Hard Freeze Warning until 9:00 a.m. EST.  The majority of the South will experience dry and sunny weather, with the exception of light showers expected for the southeastern coast of Florida.  A Red Flag Warning is in effect for northeast Georgia, the Panhandle of Florida and northwest South Carolina until 6:00 p.m. EST.  A Fire Weather Watch is in effect for southern Alabama, the Panhandle of Florida and portions of southern Florida until Wednesday afternoon.  Flood Warnings continue for southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana.
West
Parts of western and central Montana, in conjunction with central Idaho, are expected to receive light rain and mountain snow; the remaining portions of the West are forecasted to be dry.  A Fire Weather Watch will be in effect for the Santa Ynez Range and the south coast of Santa Barbara county from Thursday afternoon 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
  • Governor's Proclamations of Emergency:
  • Santa Barbara County - November 14, 2008
  • Los Angeles, Orange, and Riverside Counties - November 15, 2008
  • San Bernardino County - November 17, 2008

FEMA Region IX Actions

  • FEMA Regional Watch is operating at Steady State, 12/7 operations
  • 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 MDRC units with MDRC kits expected to arrive today at Pasadena, CA
  • Bothell MERS units at Pasadena, CA
  • Preliminary Damage Assessments:
  • Santa Barbara: Federal and State IA and PA PDAs completed on November 17-18, 2008
  • Los Angeles: IA and PA PDAs on-going
  • Orange: Federal and State IA and PA PDAs completed on November 18, 2008
  • Riverside: Federal and State IA and PA PDAs completed on November 17-18, 2008

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

  • Approximately 28,889 acres burned with 75 percent containment.
  • Anticipated full containment today
  • 0 fatalities; 9 firefighters injured
  • Destroyed structures: 155 residences destroyed
  • Damaged structures: 104 residences and 3 commercial properties
  • Threatened structures: 1,000 homes and 25 commercial properties
  • Orange County has opened a Local Assistance Center  Freeway Complex Fire: Source -  Orange County Fire Authority)
  • 2 shelters with 18 occupants
  • The following evacuation orders are in effect: Carbon Canyon areas of Olinda Village and Hollydale Mobile Home Park, affecting 256 people
  • Mandatory evacuations for Carbon Canyon areas west of Valley Springs Road were lifted today for residents only
  • Resources:
  • Approximately 3,760 (-52) firefighting personnel assigned
  • 537 (-14) Engines
  • 78 Crews
  • 22 (-2) Dozers
  • 10 Water tenders
  • 3 Helicopters

Sayre Fire (Los Angeles County):

  • Approximately 11,213 acres burned with 70 percent containment
  • 0 fatalities; 2 firefighters injured
  • Destroyed structures: 479 residences, 1 commercial property and 124 outbuildings
  • Damaged structures: 138 residences, 3 commercial properties and 6 outbuilding
  • Threatened structures: 142 residences and 35 outbuildings
  • 1 shelter with 18 occupants
  • All evacuation orders have been lifted with the exception of the Oakridge Mobile Home Park and  (Sayre Fire: Source - Los Angeles Fire Dept.)  Placerita Canyon
  • Resources:
  • Approximately 1,301 (-109) firefighting personnel assigned
  • 37 Crews
  • 10 (+9) Water Tenders
  • 6 (+3) Helicopters
  • 79 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
  • Damaged structures: 9 residences
  • There will be no further reporting on the Tea Fire  (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 new 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

  • The President signed Major Disaster Declaration FEMA-1810-DR-CA for wildfires occurring November 13, 2008 and continuing.  The declaration provides for Individual Assistance and Public Assistance for the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and Santa Barbara, and Hazard Mitigation statewide.  The FCO is Mark A. Neveau of the National FCO Program.
  • FEMA-1800-DR-Illinois Amendment #5 adds the following 9 counties for public assistance: Will, Woodford, Bureau, Cass, Greene, Kendall, Macoupin, Scott and Montgomery.
  • FEMA-1792-DR-Louisiana Amendment #6 closes the incident period effective November 7, 2008.
  • FEMA-3295-EM-Louisiana Amendment #1closes the incident period effective November 7, 2008.(FEMA HQ)

Last Modified: Wednesday, 19-Nov-2008 08:04:31 EST