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National Situation Update: Monday, April 30, 2007

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

National Weather Summary

South:  Warm, dry weather will dominate areas of the southeast of the Mississippi River Monday, April 30, 2007.  West of the Mississippi river, scattered showers and thunderstorms will prevail, mainly in Texas, and Oklahoma will share in the dampness. Isolated showers or storms may move into Arkansas and Louisiana.  Heavy downpours are expected in north-central Texas underneath an upper-air disturbance. The system produced at least one tornado Sunday afternoon near Fort Davis, Texas.

Northeast:  Low pressure will bring showers to New England and eastern New York state April 30, 2007; rainfall is expected in Maine and the northern portions of New Hampshire and Vermont. Showers or storms may pop up near a cold front in northern Virginia and West Virginia.  Gusty winds will prevail over much of the region.

Midwest
Showers and thunderstorms in the Midwest tomorrow in areas from southern Minnesota and northern Iowa eastward through the Great Lakes into the upper Ohio Valley.  No heavy rain in expected, but a few severe thunderstorms could appear over southern Minnesota and northern Iowa.

West:  Scattered showers and storms will move over the Rocky Mountains Monday afternoon and evening, April 30, 2007, from southwest Montana to New Mexico. The Pacific Coast states will remain dry.    (NWS, Media Sources)

Gasoline Tanker Fire, Oakland, CA

On  Sunday, April 29, 2007, at approximately 3:40 am PDT, a gasoline tanker truck carrying 8600 gallons of gasoline caught fire after a collision in the MacArthur Maze interchange in Oakland, CA. 
The fire caused the cables of the connector ramp from Eastbound Interstate 80 to Eastbound Interstate 580 to melt and the connector collapsed. 

The driver of the truck was able to walk to a gas station and was transported to a local hospital by taxi with 2nd degree burns. There are no other injuries reported at this time.  A command center was established on scene.  

The California Emergency Management Agency reports at 5:30 pm PDT that a contractor is onsite and will begin the demolition process of the connector ramp on Eastbound I-80 to Southbound I-880 to relieve pressure off the lower structure and to allow for a full assessment of damages.

Governor Schwarzenegger has issued a Proclamation of a State of Emergency to assist in streamlining some of the procedures to move expeditiously in getting repairs started. 

The Office of Emergency Services (OES) Coastal Regional Operation Center (REOC) and the OES State Operation Center (SOC) have been activated to monitor the situation. Currently, Westbound Interstate 80 to Southbound Interstate 880 and Eastbound Interstate 80 to Eastbound Interstate 580 remain closed with no estimated time of reopening.    (FEMA Region IX, DOT, CA OES)

Florida Brush Fire

April 29, 2007 5:00 pm EDT, 80 acres of a wooded/residential area in Lee County was on fire. One residence has been burned down and there are multiple structures in danger.  No roads are closed and there are no injuries.

The Department of Forestry (DOF) are on scene.  North and South district fire departments are on scene at this incident.  Area Command is operating from the Lee County EOC.  Florida is providing Forestry and Fire/Rescue crews. No other state resources have been requested and no federal assistance has been requested.    (FEMA Region IV)

TX Severe Weather and Tornados

Recovery operations continue in Eagle Pass, (Maverick County).  As of Saturday, April 28, 2007, mass care providers are onsite with mobile feeding kitchens, crisis counseling services and coordination of other victim services in Eagle Pass. Approximately 10,400 meals have been served by American Red Cross (ARC), Texas Southern Baptist Men, and Salvation Army. 

The Salvation Army is coordinating with the local 2-1-1 system for meeting local needs. Texas Baptist men are also supplying three chainsaw units and one shower unit.  Two shelters are open: Eagle Pass Multi-purpose Center with a population of 160; and, Fire Station with a population of 60. 

As of Saturday, April 28, 2007, 210 cubic yards of construction and demolition debris have been removed from the disaster site in Eagle Pass.

Law enforcement has disbanded all checkpoints and lifted the curfew to allow open access to residents.  Extra security is being provided for public safety in areas of debris removal and power line work.

One shelter is open in Dumas (Moore County) with 23 occupants overnight. Feeding operations are declining with 750 meals distributed on Saturday. Trinity Fellowship Church group is assisting with mass care.  Debris clean-up operations continue. 

The boil water order in Cactus (Swisher County) was lifted on Saturday, April 28, 2007.  Mass care reports that 176 clients have been assisted.  All shelters in Swisher County are closed. 

FEMA Region VI RRCC remains activated at a Level 3 to support the State of Texas recovery operations.  FEMA Individual Assistance (IA), Public Assistance (PA) has completed joint preliminary damage assessments in Maverick, Moore, and Swisher Counties.  Twenty-five hundred FEMA tarps and 2,000 hygiene kits the State requested are being distributed at the Civic Center in Eagle Pass (Maverick County).  The National Guard has the lead for distribution of these supplies. 

FEMA Logistics and GSA have identified EHU Staging Areas in Eagle Pass and Amarillo.  Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) supplied 50 agents including 25 agents who provided emergency medical services within the first 24 hours; check point patrols on-site within 12 hours to assist local responders, and clean-up crews that included 74 National Guard assigned to CBP.

Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Regional Liaison Officers (RLO), Texas Military Forces, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas Forest Service (TFS), Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT), Department of State Health Services (DSHS)  EMS Strike Team, Mobile Medical Command Post and Public Health Team, Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX), Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), The Salvation Army (TSA), The Southern Baptist, the City of San Antonio Medical Strike Team,  Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council (STRAC) continue recovery operations. 

Texas State Operations Center (SOC) will conduct a conference call Monday, April 30 at 1000 CDT. The SOC is currently activated at Level 1(Emergency Conditions).   (FEMA Region VI)

Fire Crews Contain 70 Percent Of GA Blaze

Firefighters have managed to contain about 70 percent of the largest wildfire in Georgia history, which had charred 100 square miles of forest and swampland, officials said Sunday, April 29, 2007.

A few families remained evacuated from their homes on the opposite side of U.S. Highway 1 from the main blaze, in an area where smaller spot fires started during the weekend, said a Georgia Forestry Commission spokeswoman.

Firefighters patrolled a 16-mile stretch of the highway, which remained closed, and the main body of the wildfire had not spread east across the highway into miles of tinder-dry forest.  Wind gusting to 15 mph and extreme drought conditions with no rain in the forecast mean the fire will continue to rage for at least another week.

Two other wildfires that broke out early Sunday, April 29, 2007 in counties near the main fire - one in Charlton County and one on the line of Brantley and Glynn counties - were not connected with the wildfire near Waycross.

Firefighters were working to contain them as well and at least nine families were evacuated from Charlton County, said a Georgia Emergency Management Agency spokesman.  Elsewhere, a fire that broke out late Saturday in an Atkinson County peat bog about 30 miles west of Waycross had grown to 3,000 acres.  (Media Sources)

Sweat Farm Road/Big Turnaround Fire

Georgia Forestry Commission and partnering local, state and federal agencies are working to make progress on containment. 

On Sunday, April 29, 2007, the fire was 70 percent contained and full containment was predicted to be May 15, 2007.  The fire has not crossed US Hwy 1. 

Fire crews are strengthening containment to protect private/public property and forest resources. 
Crews are staged along the fire in case there are any flare ups and continue to reinforce the firebreak lines along US Hwy 1. 

Okefenokee Swamp Park, Dixon Memorial State Forest/Wildlife Management Area (WMA), south of Waycross, are closed until further notice.  The Kingfisher Landing Unit of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Rrefuge (NWR), in Race Pond is closed. Wilderness Overnight Canoe Trails are closed until further notice.    

Other fires have started burning in nearby Brantley, Wayne, Charlton and Atkinson Counties.  These fires are all unrelated, but are further evidence of the extreme drought conditions in Georgia.

Road Closures: US Highway 1 between mile marker 1 and 16 (Hatcher Point Road to Race Pond Road) and in Charlton County from mile marker 6.8 to 19.5.  State Route 177. Route 15/121 in Brantley County from mile post 0 to mile post 11.7.

A National Fire Prevention and Education Team is available to assist homeowners and communities affected by the wildfires.  (USFS/InciWeb)

Tropical Weather Outlook

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

There were four earthquakes near Kaktovik, AK on April 29, 2007 ranging in intensity from a 3.1 to 3.8 at depths from almost surface to 13 miles.  There were no reports of damage or injuries.

There was a magnitude 6.2 earthquake at 8:41 am EDT, about 142 miles west from Adak, AK at a depth of  77 miles.  No tsunami was generated from this event and there were no reports of damage or injuries.   (NOAA, USGS, Earthquake Hazards Program, Alaska Earthquake Information Center, Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, and West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Centers)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Wildfire Update

NOAA's Storm Prediction Center indicates there are no critical fire weather areas for the U.S. on Monday. The southeastern United States will have another day of warm temperatures on Monday, but generally light winds will preclude critical fire weather conditions despite a dry air mass. ( NOAA National Weather Service/Storm Prediction Center)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)