VOLUSIA COUNTY SITUATION REPORT # 61
(status changes made since last report shown in bold black type)
EVENT: WILDFIRES 1998
DATE / TIME: July 8, 1998 @ 0900 hrs
EOC HOURS OF OPERATION: 0800 to 17:00. (Hours dependent on fire situation)
EOC BRIEFING TIMES: 0900 AND 1500
EOC ACTIVATION LEVEL : 4
LOCAL STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARATION : ORIGINALLY ISSUED JUNE 22, 1998 AT 1 P.M. RETROACTIVE TO JUNE 20, 1998
DATE OF EXPIRATION : Extended an additional seven days. Revised date of expiration is now July 11, 1998.
CONTACT NUMBERS FOR COUNTY EOC AND PIO: (904) 254-1500
COUNTY ESF-5 FAX : (904) 258-4096
SUMMARY OF FIRE ACTIVITY
PRESENT STATUS: Fires are generally contained, and mop up operations continue. Yesterday's afternoon thunderstorms resulted in several small fires (Pioneer Trail, west of New Smyrna Beach, and Port Orange area) being started. All were contained.
LOCATION(S) OF FIRES TO DATE : Fires located throughout the County. However, significant fires are summarized below:
Pierson - This fire is located on the north side of the Town of Pierson. Controlled burns have been started on the SW corner of the fire, west of US 17 and north the Pierson Airport. Local firefighting forces have been relieved and fire is currently being monitored by Division of Forestry.
Law Camp - Fire is currently contained but being closely monitored.
Quail Ridge- Fire is being monitored.
Lafayette fire - This fire is currently contained.
Ranchette Road - This fire is currently contained.
Mary Farms fire - This fire has consumed approximately, 3500 acres and is contained
Indian Lake Road area fire(s). Are presently contained.
County Road 3 area fire. Presently contained.
Shunz Road fire. Presently contained.
Lake Woodruff - Presently contained
Lake Harney area - mop up activities continue on fires in this general area
Edgewater/Cranes Swamp - Presently contained. Fire is being monitored.
Strickland Bay - A small fire has been reported in this area north of New Smyrna Beach and south of Port Orange. It has been contained and is being monitored.
Neighboring Counties: Fires which originated in neighboring counties (Flagler and Brevard) and entered Volusia County are continuing to be monitored for additional impact for Volusia County resources, fire fighters and/or shelters. Flagler County EOC is receiving mutual aid assistance in fighting these fires.
ACREAGE OF FIRES CURRENTLY ACTIVE: ESTIMATED TOTAL ACREAGE, APPROXIMATELY: 137,000 acres
SUPPRESSION EFFORTS UNDERWAY : The policy is to protect life first. Protection of structures will be prioritized based on field conditions. A unified command consisting of Volusia County and municipalities has been coordinated with Division of Forestry. It has been determined that some fires may be suspicious in nature. Air reconnaissance flights are being flown to map fire locations by the U.S. Forest Service out of New Smyrna Beach and DeLand airports. Fire activity is being monitored for break outs and hot spots. Suppression of new fires from lightning strikes is a priority. Controlled fires are being undertaken where/when appropriate. 235 miles of fire breaks have been installed. Widening of several existing fire breaks and installation of an additional 67 miles of fire breaks are underway.
MUTUAL AID:
- State Fire Marshal’s Office: Personnel have been provided.
- National Guard: The following National Guard personnel and equipment is under the direct control of Volusia County Emergency Management: 79 personnel, 27 vehicles ( 16 HUMMVs, 5 2 ½ ton trucks, 4 HEMMTs and 2 pickups).
- Federal Incident Command (Blue Team): - Federal Incident Command (Blue Team): 4 "hot shot" teams are currently deployed in the East Central Florida Area. These teams consist of 20 personnel per team, and included a Type I helicopter equipped with a 2000 gal water tank, 2 Type II helicopters and 1 tactical aircraft for aerial spotting. Numerous personnel and equipment have been sent as indicated in USFS/VCFS/FDOF Incident Action Plan.
- Public Information Office: The latest news and information on fires and evacuations in Volusia County is currently available on Volusia County’s World Wide Web page at http://www.volusia.org .
- Salvation Army: Responsible for all field food. The Salvation Army has stated that food and beverage donations are no longer required.
- US Marine Corps: Personnel from Camp Lejuene installed a temporary bridge on Rima Ridge Road. The intent of the bridge is to facilitate heavy equipment traffic between US 92 and State Road 40 in the event I-95 and other north-south arteries are congested or closed to traffic.
- RAPID RESPONSE TEAM (RRT) members have been present in the EOC and Fire Command Planning.
- AMERICAN RED CROSS: Coordinate sheltering efforts and meeting the needs of victims and workers. Currently all shelters in Volusia County are closed--some remain on standby.
OTHER: CEOC currently has personnel from State Division of Emergency Management; State Division of Forestry; National Guard; Florida Dept. of Law Enforcement; Florida Highway Patrol; and Florida Department of Transportation. Representatives from SBA and FEMA are in the County to conduct damage assessment.
INJURIES / CASUALTIES
INJURIES (MINOR) TO DATE : 10 (firefighters) + 1 fire contractor
FATALITIES TO DATE : 0
MISSING PERSONS TO DATE : 0
STATUS OF MISSING PERSONS : N/A
PROPERTY / INFRASTRUCTURE IMPACTED
HOMES THREATENED : Cumulatively, approximately 29,000 homes threatened in various areas around Volusia County (including 20,000 homes in the Daytona Beach and Ormond Beach area).
*HOMES DESTROYED/DAMAGED : 5 homes destroyed and 10 mobile homes damaged in Ormond Beach.
*BUSINESSES THREATENED : 5
*BUSINESSES DAMAGED/DESTROYED : 4 businesses in the Ormond area were destroyed.
*OTHER STRUCTURES THREATENED : Unknown
*OTHER STRUCTURES DAMAGED : Unknown
*OTHER STRUCTURES DESTROYED : 15 (miscellaneous hunting camp structures)
*VEHICLES DAMAGED : 3 (two automobiles and a boat)
*VEHICLES DESTROYED : Unknown
* Data is preliminary and is subject to revision base upon continuing field evaluations.
INFRASTRUCTURE IMPACTED:
Communications: Fire breaks have been installed around a Bellsouth telecommunications tower in the Ormond Beach area.
ROAD CLOSURES: All roads are now open.
EVACUATIONS / SHELTERS
AREA(S) EVACUATED:
Voluntary Evacuation Areas: NONE
All voluntary evacuations have been lifted.
Mandatory Evacuations: NONE
NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS EVACUATED: Estimated cumulative total for event: 29,000.
NUMBER OF EVACUEES : Unknown; however, estimated at several thousand.
SHELTERS (coordinated by the American Red Cross)
SHELTERS OPEN : None
SHELTER POPULATION: 0
SHELTERS ON STANDBY: All shelters are on standby or closed
BILLETING FOR SUPPORT CREWS :
FEDERAL BLUE TEAM
1. DELAND HIGH SCHOOL - 200 CREW MEMBERS
2. DELAND MIDDLE SCHOOL - 104 CREW MEMBERS
3. COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS-FEDERAL OVERHEAD SOUTHERN BLUE TEAM
MUTUAL AID
1. ERAU - 140 CREW MEMBERS
2. STETSON - @ CAPACITY 300+ CREW MEMBERS
MISCELLANEOUS
FINANCIAL: Daily costs are estimated at $155,000 per day excluding state-wide mutual aid and additional expenditures from municipalities.
FEDERAL OVERHEAD SOUTHERN BLUE TEAM: Incident Command Post has been established at the Volusia County Fairgrounds on SR 44, east of I-4 and the City of DeLand.
WEATHER REPORT: Expect isolated showers in the afternoon through the evening with light and variable winds. Currently showers are located over coastal waters 10 miles east of Port Orange, are drifting very slowly to the southeast and will likely weaken by 11 a.m.
SUPPORT: A logistical staging area for incoming federal and state resources to support Volusia and surrounding counties have been established at the Daytona International Speedway. State Division of Emergency Management contact is Eric Gentry at (850) 509-9047.
DONATIONS: All First Union Banks are taking monetary donations for the Volusia County Fire Relief Fund. Cash donations will be put directly into a special account for firefighting efforts.
ESTIMATED LOSS: Preliminary estimated value of loss structures (residential and commercial) to date is $1.9 million dollars. Preliminary estimated value of timber loss is $60 - $70 million.
FEDERAL ASSISTANCE: 1,410 applications have been made for assistance. $14,000 has been paid out to date (primarily for costs associated with residential evacuations). Amendment to the notice for the State of Florida (FEMA-1223-DR) dated June 18, 1998, makes available Category B Public Assistance program funds to Volusia County.
Representatives from the State Division Of Emergency Management will conduct a briefing on all billing and reimbursement issues. The briefing will be conducted Thursday, July 9, 1998 9:00 a.m at Daytona Beach Community College in the Conference Center in Building 16, Room 112. It is essential that you have representatives from the following agencies attend:
All County Service Centers
Purchasing
Finance/Fiscal/Budget
Fire Department
Law Enforcement
Public Works/Utilities
Damage Assessment
MEDICAL: Since the beginning of the fire event, apparently 400 individuals have appeared in local hospitals complaining of respiratory problems. Of these, 30 were admitted.
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