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National Situation Update: Friday, June 27, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

Midwest
Ongoing river flooding continues over parts of the Middle Mississippi River Valley and associated tributaries. Renewed flooding or additional rises possible due to the potential for more thunderstorms and heavy downpours over the basin into the weekend.

Severe thunderstorms may produce large hail and damaging winds, especially during the late afternoon and early nighttime hours, bringing repeated heavy downpours and flash flooding.

West
The Desert Southwest will experience highs between 105 and 120. Temperatures are likely to surpass 90 degrees right to the Canadian border of Washington, Idaho and western Montana with parts of central Washington and southwest Idaho seeing highs of 100 degrees or more with near record highs both weekend days in Boise.

The chance for more lightning strikes over the higher elevations of southern Oregon and northern California will keep the fire danger high. Air quality will be poor across the Sacramento Valley all the way to the Sierra Nevada due to smoke and particulates in the air. (National Weather Service, Various Media Sources)

Midwest Severe Weather and Flooding

The Mississippi River crest continues to proceed slowly downriver.  The revised forecast calls for moderate, not major, flooding, and no significant rainfall is forecast until June 27 or 28, 2008. USACE, State and local partners are still in a very active flood fight and are monitoring numerous levees along the River.

The Mississippi River at St. Louis is expected to crest June 29, 2008, at 38.6 feet (well below the 1993 flood level of 49.58 feet).   (NOAA NWS North Central River Forecast Center, USACE)

FEMA Region V RRCC:

  • Activated at Level II, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. CDT
  • Region V LNOs deployed to IN, WI, MI and IL EOCs
  • Activated Mississippi River Planning Cell to prepare for impacts of record flooding
  • Joint PA and IA PDAs in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin are ongoing.

Illinois:

  • EOC is activated 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. CDT
  • 2 shelters; population: 6
  • Destroyed:  unknown; Damaged:  1,150
  • JFO established in Springfield
  • FEMA Region I ERT-A on site at Rock Island, IL
  • FEMA Region V IMAT conducting operations in IL
  • Denver and Frederick -MERS teams on site in Springfield
  • IL-3, US 34 and IL 54 routes closed.
  • Joint IA and PA PDAs ongoing

Indiana:

  • EOC is not activated
  • 4 fatalities; 42 injuries (Reported by JFO)
  • 0 shelter; population: 0
  • Destroyed:  283; Damaged:  4,895
  • The "Mission Planning Team," deployed to the JFO to scope housing issues with the State as part of a Joint Housing Task Force, is progressing.
  • Joint IA/PA PDAs ongoing
  • 9 FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) open  (FEMA-1766-DR-IN SITREP #09)

Wisconsin:

  • EOC fully activated 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. CDT, and partially activated 8:00 p.m. - 8:00 a.m. CDT
  • 1 fatality; 0 injuries
  • 1 shelter; population: 0
  • Destroyed:  86; Damaged:  2,245
  • Joint IA PDAs completed
  • Joint PA PDAs ongoing
  • FEMA Region II ERT-A on site in Madison at JFO
  • Five (5) FEMA Mobile Disaster Recovery Centers (MDRCs) supporting nine (9) FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs)

FEMA Region VII RRCC:

  • Level III, 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. CDT
  • Region IV IMAT deployed to JFO in support of FEMA-1763-DR-IA

Iowa:

  • 17 fatalities; 106 injuries
  • 6 shelters; population: 220
  • Destroyed:  405; Damaged:  24,970
  • 25 DRCs open
  • IA and PA PDAs ongoing (FEMA-1763-DR-IA SITREP #25)

Missouri:

  • EOC activated at Level I, 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. CDT (FEMA RVII)
  • 2 shelters; population: 22
  • 0 fatalities; 1 injury (lightning, June 23, 2008)
  • Destroyed:  154; Damaged:  694
  • Mississippi River at St. Louis expected to crest June 29, 2008, at 38.6 feet
  • Elm Point Levee Breach (St. Charles County) not expected to cause forecasted crests to change, with impacts affecting only a small area.
  • USCG Liaison demobilized from State EOC
  • NLSA (National Logistics Staging Area) established at Lambert Field, St. Louis   (FEMA Region V, VII, NWS)

California Wildfires

  • CA OES fully activated as of 26 June at 7:00 am- 7:00 pm PDT.
  • FEMA Region IX liaison officer was sent to the SOC, another liaison officer was sent to North Operations Center.
  • No fatalities reported
  • 31 injuries

BTU Lightning Complex - Butte County

  • 27 fires; 7,500 acres
  • 15% contained
  • 1,000 residences and 1,000 outbuildings threatened
  • 791 residences evacuated
  • Highway 70 closed
  • State Responsibility Area (SRA)

SHU Lightning Complex - Shasta County

  • 158 fires; 30,000 acres
  • 5% contained
  • 220 residences and 20 commercial properties  and power transmission lines threatened
  • Evacuations in effect

Mendocino Lightning Complex (MEU) - Mendocino County

  • 27,000 acres
  • 5% contained
  • 2 primary buildings destroyed
  • Residences threatened
  • Evacuations in effect

Yuba River Complex -Yuba/Nevada/Sierra Counties

  • 2,803 acres
  • 18% contained
  • Residences threatened

Lime Complex - Trinity County

  • 19,000 acres
  • 15% contained
  • 1 commercial building destroyed
  • Residences and structures threatened
  • Evacuations in affect

Iron Complex - Trinity County

  • 12,500 acres
  • 5% contained
  • Residences threatened

Basin Complex Fire - Monterey County

  • 2 fires; 26,763 acres
  • 3% contained
  • 16 primary, 2 outbuildings destroyed
  • Residences threatened
  • Evacuations in effect
  • Landslide south of fire closed Highway 1
  • Federal Responsibility Area (FRA)

Oliver - Merced/Mariposa Counties

  • 2,200 acres
  • 20% contained
  • Residences threatened

North Mountain - Tuolumne County

  • 1,365 acres
  • 30% contained

Silver Complex - Madera/Mariposa Counties

  • 991 acres
  • 74% contained

Indians - Monterey County

  • 59,066 acres
  • 71% contained
  • 2 primary, 13 outbuildings destroyed
  • Residences and cultural resources threatened
  • No Nationally Significant Infrastructure has been reported to be threatened or impacted.
  • Protective Security Advisors (PSAs) are coordinating with state and local contacts for impact information.
  • Shelters: 5; Population: 73
  • 20 residences, 15 outbuildings, one commercial building destroyed

Federal Support:  

  • Four MAFFS aircraft have arrived and are on alert at Chico Attack Base in Chico, California.
  • Two MAFFS are to remain on alert at Chico and two will re-position to McAlellan Air Park to assume alert there.
  • Two additional MAFFS will be activated on June 26, 2008, for a total of 6 MAFFS.
  • 4 Type 1 helicopters with external buckets, meeting interagency wildland fire qualification and certification, along with appropriate Command and Control and support personnel to assist in fire fighting have been tasked to USMC units in Southern California.
  • Liaison to the Air Expeditionary Group Commander (AEG)
  • California is activating the Military Coordination Group to synchronize and coordinate military resources from all branches and components (Region IX, NIFC)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

A Fire Management Assistance Grant, FEMA-2778-FM-CO, was approved for the Nash Ranch Fire in Park and Teller Counties, CO.

400 acres are involved; 0% contained.
Fire behavior is extreme with the fire forecast the same through tomorrow.
Extreme shortage of resources. There are three additional uncontrolled wildfires in the state.
The Deer Trap Subdivision and 150 homes are threatened.
300 people have been evacuated. Mandatory evacuations are in place.
Fire is ¼- ½ mile from homes. (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic/Caribbean:
Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.

Eastern Pacific:
Tropical Depression Two-E is located about 570 miles south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico and 755 miles south of the southern tip of Baja California.  Maximum sustanined winds are near 30 mph. Some strengthening is forecast and the Depression could become a tropical storm during the next 24 hours.

Another low pressure area is located 975 miles southwest of the southern tip of Baja California and is accompanied by limited thunderstorm activity. It could develop into a tropical depression in the next day or so before it moves into a less conducive environment for development.

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

Western Pacific:
No threat to US territories. (NOAA, 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)

Wildfire Update

National Fire Activity as of Thursday, June 26, 2008:
National Wildfire Preparedness Level: 4

  • Initial attack activity:  Moderate (283 new fires)
  • New large fires:  10
  • Uncontained large fires:  53
  • Large fires contained: 4

Weather Discussion: 
California will be warm and dry with isolated dry thunderstorms over the Sierras.  Thunderstorm activity is expected to increase over much of northern California.  Dry thunderstorms are also expected over northeast, western and northern sections of Nevada.  Mostly dry weather will hold for Georgia, the Carolinas and Virginia.  (National Interagency Fire Center, National Incident Information Center)

Disaster Declaration Activity

On June 26, 2008, a Governor's Request for a major disaster declaration was received from the State of Kansas as a result of Severe Storms and Flooding that occurred May 22 to June 16, 2008. The Request is for Public Assistance for 49 counties and Hazard Mitigation statewide. (FEMA HQ)   

Last Modified: Thursday, 04-Jun-2009 16:35:12 EDT