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National Situation Update: Monday, July 28, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

South
Blistering heat will bake the south-central U.S. again today with temperatures expected to reach the upper 90s across most of Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi, with many spots peaking between 100 and 107.

In fact, Dallas-Ft. Worth may be one of the hottest spots with the high temperature forecast to hit 107.

Isolated thunderstorms are forecast for the Deep South, meaning most places will remain dry.

The activity over the Florida Peninsula and far southern Georgia, however, is likely to be a bit more widespread.

Farther west, a scattering of showers and storms may trail across West Texas and western Oklahoma--tempering the heat there a bit--thanks to remnant moisture from the last of former Hurricane Dolly.

Midwest
Severe storms are forecast from the northern Plains to the upper Mississippi Valley.

Showers and thunderstorms are forecast in the Plains and Midwest, although many areas are expected to remain dry, especially near the Great Lakes.

Morning thunderstorms are likely in parts of the lower Missouri and mid-Mississippi River Valleys.

West
A scattering of showers and thunderstorms is expected in the Four Corners states today, primarily across Colorado and New Mexico.

Gusty afternoon winds will keep much of the California coast from Point Conception northward rather cool, however.

Overall, highs are forecast to over 100 in the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts.  Readings in California's Central Valley will push into the 90s. (National Weather Service, Media Sources)

Tropical Depression Dolly (FEMA-1780-DR-TX)

Summary
Recent radar imagery indicated showers and thunderstorms continue across New Mexico, the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles and into Kansas and Colorado.

FEMA Region VI Actions
FEMA Region VI is activated Level II 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. CDT today
2 LNOs and DCE at Texas EOC
4 Division Commanders in McAllen, with Regional Liaison Officers in Cameron, Willacy, Hidalgo and Starr Counties
Interim JFO established at Weslaco National Guard Armory; IOF established in McAllen and JFO to be operational in McAllen by July 31
3 PA PDA teams and 4 IA PDA teams operational
PA PDAs tentatively scheduled for July 28 - 29
PA PDAs for Cameron County to begin today
IA PDAs scheduled to begin today
IA PDAs for Cameron County ongoing
2 teams to begin work Brownsville and 2 teams to begin work in South Padre
2 additional PA PDA teams and Environmental have placed 5 staff on standby in support of PDA teams
State requested assistance with generator assessments
Deployable Tactical Operations System (DTOS) Rapid Response Vehicle (RRV) arrived in Edinburg July 25

State Actions - Texas
TX State EOC fully staffed at Emergency Operations/Highest Level, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. CDT, July 26 - 29
Operating 17 POD sites throughout impact area
POD sites operating 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. CDT, until no longer needed
State to begin transitioning out of POD operations today, but will not leave an area that has no power
8 shelters; 800 occupants  (FEMA Region RRCC Talking Points, 2:30 p.m. EDT, July 27)
1 injured, no reported fatalities
66,700 without power  (FEMA Region RRCC Talking Points, 2:30 p.m. EDT, July 27)
Restoration work remains in 3 counties (Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy)
Boil water notice in effect for Laguna Madre Water District (Port Isabel, Cameron County) due to power outages
City of Weslaco (Hidalgo County) water system out of service, unable to provide potable water to citizens
Knapp Medical Center awaiting results of water analysis; will continue to use trailer of bottled water until test results received
Approximately 14 days to repair and meet Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) requirements for safe water
US International Boundary and Water Commission (USIBWC) crews continue to patrol Rio Grande Flood Control Project levees to assess conditions and respond to any problems that could arise (FEMA Region VI RRCC SITREP #5, 7:00 p.m. EDT, July 26, FEMA Region VI Operations Report, July 26; Denton MERS Operational)

New Mexico Flooding
Remnants from Hurricane Dolly have dropped more than six (6) inches of rain in south-central New Mexico
Ruidoso (Lincoln County) under voluntary evacuation of homes, campgrounds and recreational vehicle park when Ruidoso River rose several feet above flood stage
Initial estimates indicate 70 - 100 homes affected
River levels forecast to remain above flood stage into today

FEMA Region VI Actions
Monitoring situation and in communication with New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (NMDHSEM)

State Actions
NMDHSEM EOC currently at normal operations
New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) and State Police (NMSP) responding, along with local officials.
Local officials requested New Mexico National Guard (NMNG) to provide temporary bridge
Also requested aircraft with hoist capability and availability of soldiers in Roswell and Las Cruces area, if needed
NMNG has 1 UH-60 and crew (4 soldiers T-32) preparing to leave Santa Fe
Also alerted 50 soldiers from 2/200th Infantry and 50 soldiers from 717th BSB of possible State Active Duty (SAD) mission and Quick Reaction Force (QRF)
NGB JOC continues to monitor situation  (NWS Watches, Warnings and Advisories, 1:47 p.m. EDT, July 27; FEMA Region VI SPOT Report #1, 7:00 p.m. EDT, July 27; NGB SITREP, JFHQ-NM, 5:30 p.m. EDT, July 27)

Louisiana Oil Spill

FEMA Region VI Actions
FEMA Region VI is activated Level II, 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. CDT today.

State Actions
About 750 barrels of product have been recovered
Heavy oil areas located at Mile Marker 76 and Mile Markers 83 - 86, per USCG
Boothville-Venice (Plaquemines Parish, Mile Marker 18.6) now open; all potable water intakes affected now open.
EPA continues to take samples for all potable water intakes.
All samples to date have come back as "non- detect" for hydrocarbons or oil contamination  (USCG SITREP #8, 1:30 a.m. EDT, July 28)
No requests for Federal assistance.  (FEMA HQ Senior Leadership Briefing Sheet, 6:00 p.m. EDT, July 27)

California Fire Activity

Telegraph Fire began July 25

Located 5 miles north of Mariposa, CA

Fire is burning on both sides of the Merced River

18,500 acres burned; 0 % contained

8 residences and 7 outbuildings destroyed; 2,000 residences threatened

No deaths or injuries reported

Mandatory evacuations in place

Shelters opened; actual number of evacuees unknown, estimated at 2,000 by Mariposa OES

Mariposa County requesting Governor to proclaim State of Emergency and request a Presidential Declaration

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic/Caribbean:
No tropical cyclone activity.

Eastern Pacific:
No tropical cyclone activity.

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

Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Wildfire Update

National Fire Activity as of Sunday, July 27, 2008:
National Wildfire Preparedness Level: 4
Initial attack activity: Light (124 new fires)
New large fires: 5 (Radius Road, FL; Niebaur, ID; Cascade, MT; Highway 62, TX; Donut, TX)
Uncontained large fires: 39
Large fires contained: 4
States with Large fires - CA, CO, FL, ID, MT, NC, ND, TX, VA and WA

Warmer and dry across much of the West with gusty winds across the northwest quarter of the country.  Thunderstorms are expected in Montana, Wyoming, southern California and the Four Corner states.  Hot temperatures and low relative humidity will persist in central and northern Texas.  (National Interagency Fire Center, National Incident Information Center)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Last Modified: Thursday, 04-Jun-2009 16:34:33 EDT