• Emergency Managers and Personnel
• Situation Reports
• National Incident Management System
• Grants & Assistance Programs
• Training
• Contacts
• Planning
• Best Practices

National Situation Update: Saturday, July 19, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

West:
High temperatures will soar well into the 90s from the eastern sections of Washington and Oregon to the high Plains of Montana, Wyoming and Colorado and temperatures across the Desert Southwest will range between 100 and 120 degrees today.

Thunderstorms will continue over the Four Corners' states, Wyoming and Montana through July 23.

Midwest:
Several-inch, flash-flooding downpours are forecast across parts of the Plains and Midwest July 19 - 20.

Thunderstorms and additional heavy, possibly flooding, rain will fall from the Dakotas to the southern Great Lakes July 21 - 22.  (National Weather Service, Various Media Sources)

California Wildfires

Statewide Statistical Summary:
There are 38 active fires, making up 16 fire complexes statewide that are actively threatening life and property.  A total of 920,075 acres have been burned (505,949 acres in the 10 most critical complexes) and 17,381 personnel are assigned. (CAL Fire/FEMA Region IX 8:00 p.m. PDT, July 18 report)
Fatalities - 3 firefighter (2 off-duty, 1 on-duty) and 1 unconfirmed fire related(civilian in Butte County)
Injuries - 311
American Red Cross reports 2 shelters with 11 occupants (NSS Report, 4:30 p.m. EDT, July 18, 2008)
Structures destroyed: 102 residences; 1 commercial; 139 outbuildings
Structures damaged: 8 residences and 5 outbuildings
Structures threatened: 5,183 residences; 97 commercial; 1,979 outbuildings
State EOC is activated 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. PDT; limited night shift
CA OES reports that the State EOC returned to normal operations after 7:00 p.m. PDT, July 18.  (CAL Fire/FEMA Region IX 8:00 p.m. PDT, July 18)
FEMA Region IX will have 2 Reports Specialists at the State EOC through July 25, with Executive Summaries on Monday, Wednesday and Friday only. (CAL Fire/FEMA Region IX 8:00 p.m. PDT, July 18)
The Hoopa Tribe will hold a meeting in Eureka, CA, on July 21 concerning effects of air quality from fires near tribal lands
Attendees will include tribal representatives, local agencies and OES; FEMA invited to attend.  (CAL Fire/FEMA Region IX 8:00 p.m. PDT, July 18)
Confirmed 2 MAFFS released July 18.  Two will be released each day through July 21, when the last 2 aircraft are released.  (CAL Fire/FEMA Region IX 8:00 p.m. PDT, July 18)
1,504 Guardsmen supporting CA wildfires from 19 states (NGB Info Push, Jul 20)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

Nothing significant to report.(FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic/Caribbean:
Tropical Depression 3
At 5:00 a.m. EDT, the center of Tropical Depression Three (TD 3) was located about 45 miles southeast of Charleston, South Carolina and about 295 miles southwest of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.

TD 3 is moving toward the northeast near 5 mph, and this motion is expected to continue July 19 - 21, keeping the center very close to the coasts of North and South Carolina.

Maximum sustained winds are near 30 mph, with higher gusts.  Some strengthening is possible, and TD 3 could become a Tropical Storm later today.

Estimated minimum central pressure is 1,009 mb (29.80 inches).

Rainfall amounts of two-to-four (2-4) inches are expected along the immediate coastal sections of the Carolinas.

A Tropical Storm Warning remains in effect from South Santee River, South Carolina to the North Carolina/Virginia border, including Pamlico Sound.  A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected within the warning area within the next 24 hours.

A Tropical Storm Watch remains in effect from north of Edisto Beach, South Carolina to South Santee River.  A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area, generally within 36 hours.

Invest 94 (High potential for Tropical Cyclone Formation)
Satellite images indicate that the tropical wave in the central Caribbean Sea remains well-organized.

This system has the potential to become a Tropical Depression July 19 - 21 as it moves toward the west-northwest at 15 to 20 mph.

Interests in Jamaica, the Cayman Islands and the northwestern Caribbean Sea should continue to monitor the progress of this system.

Rainfall associated with the wave is currently affecting portions of Hispaniola, Jamaica and eastern Cuba.

Eastern Pacific:
Tropical Depression Elida
At 2:00 a.m. PDT, the center of Tropical Depression Elida was about 1,410 miles west of the southern tip of Baja, California.

Elida is moving toward the west near 14 mph, and this general motion is expected to continue July 19 - 21.

Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 35 mph, with higher gusts.  Additional weakening is forecast during the next 24 hours and Elida could degenerate into a remnant low later today.

Estimated minimum central pressure is 1,005 mb (29.68 inches).

Hurricane Fausto
At 2:00 a.m. PDT, the center of Hurricane Fausto was located about 445 miles southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico.

Fausto is moving toward the west-northwest near 8 mph, and this general motion is expected to continue July 19 - 21.

Maximum sustained winds are near 85 mph, with higher gusts.  Slight strengthening is forecast during the next 24 hours.

Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 30 miles from the center, and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 115 miles.

Estimated minimum central pressure is 980 mb (28.94 inches).

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

Earthquake Activity

A magnitude 4.7 earthquake occurred July 18, 2008 at 9:00 p.m. EDT, 330 miles west-southwest of Portland, Oregon, at a reported depth of 6.2 miles. There was no tsunami generated, and no damage or injuries were reported.

A magnitude 7.0 earthquake occurred July 18, 2008 at 10:39 p.m. EDT, 190 miles northeast of Tokyo, Japan, at a reported depth of 25 miles. There was no tsunami generated.  (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

National Fire Activity as of Friday July 18, 2008:
National Wildfire Preparedness Level: 5
Initial attack activity: Moderate (279 new fires)
New large fires: 2
Uncontained large fires: 37
Large fires contained: 4
States with Large fires - AK, CA, CO, LA, NC, TX, UT, VA, and WA
Windy conditions are expected over portions of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.  Drying is expected over California and Nevada, with most of the thunderstorm activity along the east of the Rockies.  There is also a chance of thunderstorms in northeast Washington, northern Idaho and northwest Montana. (National Interagency Fire Center, National Incident Information Center)

Disaster Declaration Activity

On July 18, 2008, the President signed Major Disaster Declaration FEMA-1779-DR for the State of Nebraska as a result of Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds and Flooding that occurred June 27, 2008.  The Declaration provides for Public Assistance for four (4) counties (Dodge, Douglas, Sarpy, and Saunders Counties) and Hazard Mitigation statewide.  The FCO is Willie G. Nunn of the National FCO Program.

Amendment #1 to FEMA-1775-DR for the State of Oklahoma was approved on July 18, 2008.  Two counties designated for Public Assistance.

Amendment #5 to FEMA-1773-DR for the State of Missouri was approved on July 18, 2008.  Six counties designated for Individual Assistance, three counties designated for Individual Assistance (already designated for Public Assistance) and one county for Individual Assistance (already designated for Category B Emergency Protective Measures). (FEMA HQ)