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National Situation Update: Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Southern California Wildfires Situation

On October 21, 2007 the California Office of Emergency Services began reporting multiple wind-driven wildfires in Los Angeles and San Diego counties:
Canyon Fire: Los Angeles County, Malibu (FMAG approved) 
Currently 3,800 acres, 8% containment.
500 homes evacuated, 1,500 people relocated.
600 homes, 200 commercial 100 outbuildings threatened.
Damaged:  Six residences, two commercial.
Injuries:  Three (unknown civilian or not).
Firefighters:  1,765 (136 CalFire Staff).
Buckweed fire: Los Angeles County, Santa Clarita (FMAG approved)
Currently 35,500 acres burned.
0% containment.
15,000 evacuees.
3,800 homes threatened.
15 residences, 17 outbuildings and 22 vehicles destroyed.
Seven firefighters injured.
Firefighters:  929 (166 CalFire Staff).
Witch Fire: San Diego County, Witch Creek, Ramona, San Diego Country Estates, Barona Mesa, Poway, Rancho Bernardo, Mira Mesa, Carmel Mt. Ranch (FMAG approved).  Same location of cedar fire 2003, which may mean limited fuels.
Currently 145,000 acres.
Containment: 0% containment.
1,500 evacuations.  
5,000 residences, 1,500 commercial and 300 out buildings threatened.
Damaged:  250 residences, 75 commercial and 50 outbuildings.
Destroyed:  500 residences, 100 commercial and 60 outbuildings.
Injuries:  Seven firefighters.
Firefighters:  625 (274 CalFire Staff).
Harris Fire: San Diego County, near Potrero, Bulzura, Dear Horn Valley, Lyon Valley and into Mexico.  (FMAG approved)
Currently 22,000 acres burned, with 5% containment. (Does not include acreage across the border).
500 residences and 100 outbuildings threatened. 
21 injuries (5 firefighters injured, 17 civilians) and 1 fatality.
Firefighters:  400 (including 175 CalFire Staff).
Ranch Fire: Ventura County, Priu and Fillmore - California OES does not intend on assistance request this date. (No FMAG requested)
Currently 41,000 acres.
10% containment.
Potential to merge with Buckweed Fire.
Two structures damaged
Threatened:  500 homes, 50 commercial and 50 outbuildings (including State Highway 126, petroleum fields, Condor sanctuary and Sespe Wilderness).
Destroyed:  Three residences, four outbuildings.
Firefighters:  767 (including 80 CalFire Staff).
Santiago Canyon Fire: Orange County, near Irvine. 
Currently 15,200 acres, 30% containment.
Evacuations:  2,000 estimated, with 2,300 residents advised to shelter-in-place.
Threatened:  3,000 residences and 150 commercial.
Destroyed:  Eight outbuildings (12 damaged).
Injuries:  Two firefighters.
Firefighters:  492.
Rocca Fire: Riverside County. (No FMAG requested)
Currently 270 acres, 100% containment.
Damaged: one residence.
Threatened:  450 residences and one out building.
Firefighters:  516 (73 CalFire Staff).
Sedgwick Fire:  Santa Barbara County.
Currently 710 acres, 100% containment.
Threatened:  450 residences and 1 out building.
Grass Valley Fire: Lake Arrowhead (Green Valley, Running Springs, Arrow Bear, Twin Peaks and Crest Forest.
Currently 300 acres, unknown containment.
Damaged:  100+ structures lost.
Threatened:  1,500 residences and 100 businesses.
Firefighters:  60 engines, four water tenders and seven crews.
Slide Fire:  Green Valley Lake
Currently 1,500 acres, containment unreported.
Evacuations:  Mandatory for Green Valley Lake, Arrow Bear, Running Springs.
Damaged:  20 residences.
Threatened:  400 residences.
Firefighters:  17 engines, five water tenders.
Rice Fire:  Monte Vista
Currently 1,500 acres, containment unreported.
Evacuations:  Mandatory evacuations for the Town of Fallbrook.
Damaged:  50 residences.
Threatened:  250.
Destroyed:  50.
Firefighters:  160.
Magic Fire:  Old Cross Road at Magic Mountain Parkway (Los Angeles County)
Currently 1,200 acres, containment not reported.
Burning in an agricultural area and no structures are threatened at this time.  (CalFire Website, October 22, 2007, 11:30 p.m., EDT)

Federal Actions:
FEMA NRCC
Activating to Level II October 23, 2007, 24 hour operations
ESFs 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 13, 15, DoD
Logistics 
Movement of Supplies authorized
Coordinating with American Red Cross for movement of supplies
FEMA Region IX
Activated to Level II with selected ESFs, October 21, 2007
JFO Opening in Pasadena, CA on October 23, 2007
ERT-A Activated, October 22, 2007

NORAD/USNORTHCOM Command Center Items:
Since October 21, 2007, Vandenberg AFB, CA, and Commander, Navy Region Southwest (CNRSW), have deployed personnel and equipment at the request of local authorities under mutual aid agreements, in support of firefighting efforts.
Per the National Guard Bureau Joint Operations Center (NGB JOC), Joint Forces Headquarters-California (JFHQ-CA) issued a warning order for aviation support to assist State authorities with Wildfire response in Southern California.  The California Office of Emergency Services (CAOES) has advised the California Joint Operations Center (CA JOC) that they will be requesting California National Guard aviation assistance.
Support is expected to consist of as many as four aircraft (UH-60s) and crews in a State Active Duty status.
No requests for Federal Assistance (beyond previously reported mutual aid) have been received at this time, and none are pending.  NORAD-NORTHCOM Command Center continues to develop information in order to anticipate potential requests for assistance.
Air Assets:
Federal Wildland Fire Agencies:  All 10 available large air tankers.
CDF:  16 large air tankers.
Six MAFF air tankers have been ordered by Federal Agencies.
California National Guard:  four helicopters.
USMC:  Five helicopters from Miramar (which has since been evacuated).
Currently, al fires have airborne aviations supervision assigned, and are using tactical aircraft as conditions will allow.  (DLA HQ, NORAD-NORTHCOM, US Fire Administration)

A strong ridge of high pressure over California will bring above-normal temperatures and very low humidity to the region through Wednesday, October 24, 2007.

Temperatures will be 10 to 20 degrees above normal, and minimum humidity will be in the single digits and teens across the region through Wednesday, October 24, 2007.

There will be widespread strong and gusty winds over southern California through Wednesday morning, October 23, 2007.  Winds will be 20 to 40 mph, with much higher gusts over the mountains and below the canyons and passes of southern California through Tuesday morning, October, 23, 2007.

Winds will start to decrease over southern California Tuesday afternoon, October 23, 2007, and become light Wednesday night, October 24, 2007.

The ridge of high pressure will weaken as a Pacific trough drops down the west coast, bringing a cooling trend and an increase in humidity Thursday, October 25, 2007, through this weekend.  (FEMA Region IX, Southern California Geographic Area Coordination Center; Los Angeles County Fire Department; CA Dept of Forestry and Fire Protection, NORAD-USNORTHCOM; NWS)

Forest Service: Three LA County Fires Might Merge

The Governor of California ordered the California National Guard to make 1,500 guardsmen available to support firefighting efforts throughout Southern California.

Those troops will include 200 people currently patrolling the border. The National Guard troops will be deployed at the discretion of the Governor's Office of Emergency Services.

Monday night, October 22, 2007, the U.S. Department of Defense agreed to send six aircraft capable of dropping 3,000 gallons of water or fire retardant to help battle the wildfires.  The C-130 aircraft are equipped with Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems, and they are expected to be in California by Tuesday, October 23, 2007. The planes are based in Colorado, Wyoming and North Carolina.
 
The Governor asked the President to authorize San Diego-area military forces to begin coordinating to provide cots, first-aid equipment and possibly personnel to aid evacuees and firefighters. The Governor talked to the President twice, and was told the administration will start working on the request for military support.
 
The White House confirmed that the Governor spoke with the President on Monday afternoon, October 22, 2007, and said Air Force and Naval posts in the area were ready to help.
 
At least 14 fires were burning Monday, October 22, 2007, in Southern California.
 
Firefighters acknowledged they were overwhelmed. Authorities said the fires have many fingers that are spreading throughout the area.
 
From San Diego to Malibu, more than 150 miles up the coast, some 265,000 people were warned to leave their homes. More than 250,000 were told to flee in San Diego County alone, where hundreds of patients were moved by school bus and ambulance from a hospital and nursing homes, some in hospital gowns and wheelchairs. Some carried their medical records in clear plastic bags.

The Governor declared a state of emergency late Sunday night, October 21, 2007, in seven counties.  One person died in a fire near San Diego, which burned more than 14,000 acres (or about 22 square miles) about 70 miles southeast of San Diego, just north of the Mexican border town of Tecate.
 
U.S. Forest Service reported that three major blazes burning in Los Angeles County, (Ranch, Buckweed and Magic Fires) are projected to merge into one in about 48 hours, which would make a fire in excess of 80,000 acres.
 
The reason for the fires merging is topography and fuels. There's nothing to keep them from burning together. It also depends on weather, mostly. The humidity is expected to stay in the single digits for the next day.  (Media Sources)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

FMAG-2379-CA issued for the Rice Fire that began on October 22, 2007, and is continuing.
FMAG-2378-CA issued for the Grass Valley fire that began on October 22, 2007, and is continuing.
FMAG-2737-CA issued for the Santiago fire that began on October 22, 2007, and is continuing.
FMAG-2736-CA issued for the Ranch fire that began on October 22, 2007, and is continuing.  (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic - Caribbean Sea - Gulf of Mexico
Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.

Eastern and Central Pacific:
Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.

Western Pacific:
No current tropical cyclone warnings. (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)

Disaster Declaration Activity

The President approved California's request for an Emergency Declaration for seven Counties.  The were approved for Emergency Protective Measures (Category B) and direct federal assistance.  (FEMA HQ)