Wednesday, September 7, 2011

[FEMA]

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED)

Response to Hurricane Irene

Vermont
Three confirmed fatalities have been reported. Fewer than 500 customers remain without power. There are 8 shelters open with 67 occupants. Six Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) are opened.
Massachusetts
. One confirmed fatality has been reported. Fewer 800 customers remain without power. There is 1 shelter open with 3 occupants.
Connecticut
Two confirmed fatalities have been reported. Approximately 4,000 customers remain without power. Estimated power restoration is expected Sep 7.
New York
Ten confirmed fatalities have been reported. Approximately 6,000 customers remain without power. (There are 8 shelters open with 59 occupants. An unconfirmed tornado has touchdown in Montgomery and Schenectady Counties. Approximately 24 homes received damage. Seven DRCs are open; another 5 DRCs will open next week.
New Jersey
Seven confirmed fatalities have been reported. All power outages have been restored. There are 6 shelters open with 238 occupants. One DRC is open.
Virginia
Four confirmed fatalities have been reported. Approximately 3,400 customers remain without power.
Maryland
Three confirmed fatalities have been reported. All shelters have been closed and all power outages have been restored.
Pennsylvania
Four confirmed fatalities have been reported. Approximately 2,800 customers remain without power.Â*
North Carolina
Seven confirmed fatalities have been reported. There are 3 shelters open with 60 occupants.Eight DRCs are fully operational.

Significant National Weather

NortheastÂ*
Heavy rain and thunderstorms associated with the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee is forecast for New England and the Mid-Atlantic today. Rainfall accumulations may exceed 7 inches, specifically in portions of Pennsylvania and Upstate New York. Flooding continues to be the primary threat affecting areas from northern Virginia, Maryland and Delaware to Upstate New York and western New England. There will also be a slight risk of severe weather today across portions of the eastern Mid-Atlantic.
SouthÂ*
Rain and thunderstorms will continue in the Southeast. Hardest hit areas will include North Carolina and southern Florida. A tornado threat is possible in eastern North Carolina. Light to moderate rain will continue across the Tennessee Valley and southern Appalachians and isolated thunderstorms are possible in the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles.
MidwestÂ*
Rain and thunderstorms are forecast for Michigan and the Ohio Valley today. Rainfall accumulations may exceed one inch in parts of Indiana and Ohio. Isolated thunderstorms are expected in the Central Plains, specifically southwest Nebraska and western Kansas.
WestÂ*
Monsoonal rain showers, accompanied by isolated thunderstorms, are expected in the Central Rockies and portions of the Southwest. The remainder of the region is forecast to be dry. (NOAA and NWS)
Tropical Weather Outlook

Remnants of Lee
At 5:00 a.m. EDT, September 6, the circulation of Lee over northern Georgia has been absorbed by a large-scale extratropical low near the Tennessee-Virginia border. Extremely heavy rain is expected from the Central Appalachians into southern New England and will continue until Thursday. Flood and Flash Flood Watches and Warnings are currently in effect along the central Appalachians and northeastward into central New York. Public advisories are being issued by the Hydrometeorological Prediction Center. Â*
Mississippi
The MS Governor issued an executive proclamation declaring a state of emergency. One confirmed fatality has been reported. There is 1 shelter open with 6 occupants.Over 20 counties are reporting road closures and damaged homes.
Alabama
There are 2 shelters open with 4 occupants. Approximately 139,000 customers remain without power.
Tennessee
Approximately 32,000 customers remain without power

Georgia
Several structures reported damaged and numerous roads closures have been reported. One shelter is opened with an unknown amount of occupants. Approximately 6,500 customers remain without power.
Florida
There was an unconfirmed tornado touchdown near Pensacola, FL early morning on Sunday, Sep 4, 2011. One home was destroyed; two homes received major damage and two businesses received minor damage.
Louisiana
The LA Governor issued an executive proclamation declaring a state of emergency. Thirty-four parishes and the Town of Grand Isle have been declared. All evacuations have been lifted. Approximately 17,540 customers remain without power. (Approximately 235 residences have been affected by flooding.

Atlantic / Caribbean / Gulf of Mexico
Hurricane Katia
At 5:00 a.m. EDT September 6, the center of Hurricane Katia was located about 310 miles southwest of Bermuda, and moving northwest near 10 mph. This general motion is expected to continue through today followed by a turn toward the north-northeast with an increase in forward speed late Thursday and early Friday.
On the forecast track, the core of Katia is expected to move between the East Coast of the United States and Bermuda tonight and Thursday. Katia is a Category 1 Hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale. Little change in strength is forecast today followed by gradual weakening on Thursday. Maximum sustained winds have decreased to 90 mph with higher gusts. Hurricane force winds extend outward to 70 miles. Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 205 miles. Large swells generated by Katia are expected to affect most of the East Coast of the United States. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
Tropical Depression Fourteen
At 5:00 a.m. EDT September 6, the center of Tropical Depression Fourteen was located about 1,100 miles west-southwest of the Cape Verde Islands and moving west near 20 mph.
This general motion with some increase in forward speed is expected during the next 48 hours. Maximum sustained winds remain near 35 mph. Some strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours. The depression is expected to become a tropical storm on today.
Area 1
A broad area of low pressure is located over extreme southern Gulf of Mexico. Some gradual development is possible over the next couple of days. This system has a medium (40 percent) chance, of becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours.
Area 2
A tropical wave located about 300 miles east of the Leeward Islands is expected to bring cloudiness and showers over theses Islands during the next 24 hours as it moves westward around 20 mph. Upper-level winds are not favorable for significant development. This system has a low (10 percent) chance of becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours.

Eastern Pacific
Area 1
A broad area of low pressure located 200 miles south of Manzanillo Mexico is producing a large area of cloudiness and showers as it moves westward around 20 mph. Development, if any, of this system is expected to be slow to occur. This system has a low (10 percent) chance of becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours.
Central Pacific
There are no tropical cyclones expected through Thursday evening.

Western Pacific
There are no tropical cyclones threatening U.S. Territories.
Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Wildfire Update

National Fire Activity
Tuesday, September 6, 2011:
National Preparedness Level: 3
Initial attack activity: Light (175 new fires)
New Large Fires: 20
Large Fires Contained: 8
Uncontained Large Fires: 52
Type 1 IMT Committed: 4
Type 2 IMT Committed: 11
States affected: OK, TX, VA, FL, OK, AR, OR, WA, MT, ID, WY, UT, CA, CO, and MN.
Wildfire Activity
FMAG Approval
Bear Creek Fire Update âÂ*(Cass and Marion Counties, TX)
On September 6, 2011, the FEMA Region VI Regional Administrator approved a Fire Management Assistant Grant (FMAG) request from the State of Texas for the Bear Creek FireÂ*burning in Cass and Marion Counties, TX. At the time of the request, the fire had burned over 35,000 acres, six homes were destroyed and 150 homes are threatened.
Update: Approximately 200 residents have evacuated and 600 structures are threatened.
Riley Road Fire Update âÂ*(Montgomery County, TX)
On September 6, 2011, FMAG-2964-FM was approved for the State of Texas as a result of the Riley Road FireÂ*burning in Montgomery County, TX. At the time of the request, the fire had burned 3,000 acres, 300 homes are threatened, twenty homes have been burned and 850 residents have been evacuated. Two shelters have been opened.
Update: Twenty homes have been destroyed and 30 homes have been damaged. Approximately 120 residents have evacuated and 250 structures are threatened.
Tamina Fire UpdateÂ*- (Montgomery County, TX)
On September 6, 2011, FMAG-2962-FM was approved for the State of Texas as a result of the Tamina FireÂ*burning in Montgomery County, TX. At the time of the request, the fire had burned 150 acres, 200 homes threatened and 550 residents evacuated. Two shelters have been established.
Steiner Ranch Fire Update âÂ*(Travis County, TX)
On September 5, 2011, FMAG-2960-FM was approved for the State of Texas as a result of the Steiner Ranch Fire burning in Travis County, TX. At the time of the request, the fire had burned 300 acres, 40 homes destroyed, 500 homes and 1,000 people threatened; 600 residents and 200 homes evacuated.
Update: Approximately 175 acres have burned and 40 percent of the fire has been contained. Thirty-five homes have been destroyed and 23 homes have received damage. Over 300 homes remain threatened. Approximately 800 people have evacuated.
Pedernales Fire Update âÂ*(Travis County, TX)
On September 5, 2011, FMAG-2959-FM was approved for the State of Texas as a result of the Pedernales Fire burning in Travis County, TX. At the time of the request, the fire had burned 7,000 acres, 150 homes and 450 people threatened; 120 residents and 40 homes evacuated.
Update: Approximately 6,500 acres have burned and 40 percent of the fire has been contained. Sixty-seven homes have been destroyed and 30 homes have been damaged. Approximately 120 residents have evacuated and over 150 structures are threatened.
Bastrop Fire Update âÂ*(Bastrop County, TX)
On September 4, 2011, FMAG-2958-FM was approved for the State of Texas as a result of the Bastrop FireÂ*burning in Bastrop County, TX. At the time of the request, the fire had burned 14,000 acres, 200 homes destroyed, 2,500 homes and 2,500 people threatened; 1,000 residents evacuated.
Update: Approximately 33,000 acres have burned and 30 percent of the fire has been contained. A total of 600 homes have been destroyed. A power plant and twenty subdivisions remain threatened. Approximately 5,000 residents and a local hospital have been evacuated.
Ferguson Fire Update âÂ*(Comanche County, OK)
On September 3, 2011, FMAG-2956-FM was approved for the State of Oklahoma as a result of the Ferguson FireÂ*burning in Comanche County, OK.
Update: Approximately 39,000 acres have burned and 60 percent of the fire has been contained. A total of eleven homes and two outbuildings have been destroyed. (Region VI, NIFC and Inciweb)

Disaster Declaration Activity

Amendment No. 2 for Maryland â FEMA-3335-EM
Amendment No. 2 to FEMA-3335-EM closes the incident period for this emergency declaration effective September 5, 2011.
Amendment No. 4 for Vermont â FEMA-4022-DR
Amendment No. 4 to FEMA-4022-DR adds 8 counties for Individual Assistance (already designated for Public Assistance, including direct Federal assistance).

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