National Situation Update: Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).
National Weather Summary
Midwest: A cold front will push thorugh Montana and head for the northern Plains on Wednesday, July 25, 2007. The front may spark some thunderstorm activity across the Dakotas. These storms may become severe.
Showers and thundershowers are also likely during the afternoon and evening hours in Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio.
Look for highs from the 70s in eastern Ohio and eastern Kentucky to over 100 in central South Dakota and a small part of northwest Nebraska.
South: Much of the Southeast and Florida will see afternoon thunderstorms on Wednesday, July 25, 2007. There will be more scattered rain across southern Texas and minor flooding is possible on rivers in that region.
West: Tropical moisture is influencing the west resulting in thunderstorm activity, mostly in the afternoon, from Arizona and New Mexico northward to Montana and westward to the Sierra Nevada. Temperatures are expected to be in the triple digits in the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts.
Northeast: Low pressure will result in mostly afternoon showers and thundershowers from western and southern New York down to northern Virginia. (NWS, Media Sources)
ID - Power Outage Due To Wildfire
On July 19, 2007 a wildfire damaged over 240 power poles and several power lines, disrupting power to the Duck Valley Indian Reservation. Water, sewer and the health clinic are operating on generator power. The reservation extends over the Idaho/Nevada state line.
The State of Idaho is coordinating state-tribal PDAs with the tribe July 24 - 25, 2007.
Raft River Electric Company purchased and arranged transportation for 6,500 lbs dry ice and 600 lbs ice. They also paid for 3 generators: 1 for the Owyhee Medical Center (hospital), 1 for water distribution and one for sewage.
Raft River Electric Company has contracted for two large generators to be installed in order to restore temporary power to residents. Idaho Power (power generation) is expected to be back online by July 25, 2007. The Raft River Electric Company (power distribution) has been providing the power support to the tribe.
No Federal involvement expected. Region IX & Region X will coordinate as required (fire and Indian reservation transits Idaho/Nevada border). (FEMA Region X)
Storms Threaten Lightning and Flash Floods in Wildfire Areas of West
Fire-strafed Nevada was spared predicted heavy thunderstorms and possible flash flooding, easing fears of extensive water runoff in areas already charred by wildfires.
A flash flood watch had been in effect Tuesday, July 24, 2007 for parts of western Nevada and the Sierra Nevada range. Forecasters had warned of the potential for runoff in areas stripped of vegetation by the wildfire that destroyed at least 254 homes south of Lake Tahoe and by a large blaze southwest of Reno.
An evacuation order was lifted for the mountain town of Jarbidge, Nevada, though residents had been trickling in against fire managers' orders at least a day earlier. The town was threatened by a blaze that had blackened about 880 square miles (2,280 square kilometers) on the Idaho-Nevada line, fire information officer said. The fire, which was 20 percent contained Tuesday, July 24, 2007 was mostly in Idaho but the most active part was in Nevada, authorities said.
In northeastern Nevada, the Shoshone-Paiute Tribe declared a state of emergency for the Duck Valley Indian Reservation, most of which has been without power for six days because fires have destroyed more than 240 utility poles.
Crews have been battling dozens of huge wildfires across the West, primarily in Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, California and Utah, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
Idaho was getting the worst of it, with 14 large fires burning 1,300 square miles. Gov. C.L. ``Butch'' Otter issued disaster emergency declarations for five counties Monday, July 23, 2007 because of the fire danger.
Fire managers worried that dry lightning storms in parts of the West could start more blazes, though the systems also were expected to bring rain, the interagency center said. ``It's great to have rain, but there's always the possibility of a downdraft and erratic winds. There's a high concern over additional lightning strikes,'' said a fire information officer in Utah, where a blaze had charred more than 33 square miles (85.5 square kilometers) and forced the evacuation of several communities.
Fire lines along the east side of the Utah blaze held during the night, protecting the town of Fountain Green, home to about 1,000 people about 90 miles south of Salt Lake City. (Media Sources)
Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)
No new information to report. (FEMA HQ)
Tropical Weather Outlook
Atlantic/Caribbean/Gulf of Mexico:
Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.
Eastern Pacific:
Tropical storm (TS) Dalila is centered about 330 miles south of the southern tip of Baja California, Mexico moving northwest at 7 mph. Maximum sustained wind speed is 58 mph with gusts to 69 mph. Estimated minimum central pressure is 997 mb (29.44 inches).
Elsewhere tropical cyclone development is not expected during the next 48 hours.
Central Pacific:
No tropical cyclones are expected through Thursday afternoon, July 26, 2007.
Western Pacific:
No significant tropical activity to report.(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 Preparedness Level: 5
States Most Affected: Idaho, Nevada and Utah
National Fire Activity as of Tuesday, July 24, 2007:
Initial attack activity: Heavy (317 new fires)
New large fires: 4
Large fires contained: 6
Uncontained large fires: 42
Predictive Services Discussion: Thunderstorm activity will increase in the West. The number and coverage of thunderstorms will be on the increase as monsoon moisture spreads into the region. Thunderstorms will be wet and over the Four Corner states, the Great Basin, southern Californai, the Sierra Nevada mountains, southeast Oregan, Montana and Wyoming. Hot conditions will continue across Montana into the northern Great Plains in combination with windy condition. (National Interagency Fire Center, National Incident Information Center, InciWeb, NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center)
Disaster Declaration Activity
FEMA-1714-DR was declared for Nebraska for Severe Storms and Flooding starting May 28, 2007 and continuing.
Public Assistance for Buffalo, Custer, Dawson, Frontier, Greeley, Hayes, Hitchcock, Howard, Kearney, Lincoln, Logan, Loup, Madison, Valley, and Wheeler Counties.
All counties in the State of Nebraska are eligible to apply for assistance under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. (FEMA HQ)
Last Modified: Wednesday, 25-Jul-2007 07:38:11 EDT