VOLUSIA COUNTY SITUATION REPORT # 42
(status changes made since last report shown in bold black type)
EVENT: WILDFIRES 1998
DATE / TIME: July 1, 1998 @ 9 a.m.
EOC ACTIVATION LEVEL : 3
LOCAL STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARATION : ISSUED JUNE 22, 1998 AT 1 P.M. RETROACTIVE TO JUNE 20, 1998
DATE OF EXPIRATION : Was extended for another seven days. Effective now until July 3, 1998
CONTACT NUMBERS FOR COUNTY EOC AND PIO: (904)254-1500
COUNTY ESF-5 FAX : (904) 258-4096
SUMMARY OF FIRE ACTIVITY
NUMBER OF FIRES TO DATE: 68
LOCATION(S) OF FIRES TO DATE : FIRES LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY
DUE TO NUMBER OF FIRES AND FREQUENCY OF OCCURRENCE, REPORT FOCUSES UPON MAJOR/SIGNIFICANT FIRES ONLY. OTHER SMALLER FIRES MAY BE PRESENT. SIMILARLY, PREVIOUSLY KNOWN SMALLER FIRES WHICH HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS SYNOPSIS.
NUMBER OF MAJOR/SIGNIFICANT FIRES CURRENTLY ACTIVE: 15
ACREAGE OF FIRES CURRENTLY ACTIVE: ESTIMATED TOTAL ACREAGE, APPROXIMATELY 80,000+
LOCATIONS OF MAJOR/SIGNIFICANT FIRES (SEE ATTACHED MAP FOR GENERAL LOCATIONS OF THE FOLLOWING): The following list of fires are currently contained. Mop up operations have begun.
1. LAFAYETTE LANDINGS COMPLEX --- Includes fires previously designated as Clark Bay (west of Daytona Beach) and Lafayette Landings (east of SR 11, north of DeLand. Central Volusia County off US 92 and east of SR 11 north of DeLand). After deployment of aircraft, dozers and tractors, firefighters successfully defended the Plantation Pines subdivision from this fire. The fire is no longer an immediate threat to the subdivision and residents were allowed back. This fire has now joined with the fires along SR 40 and to the large fire in the middle of Flagler County. A flare up located in the northwest portion of the fire continues to burn. This flare-up is not currently contained and may cross State Road 11. Status remains the same.
2. SHUNZ ROAD (West of Port Orange) NW of Tomoka Farms subdivision and SW of county landfill off SR 415. This fire has advanced towards Pioneer Trail and SR 44 but has been contained. This fire has joined with the larger Lafayette Landing fire located to the north across I-4. This fire has been currently contained.
3 LAKE HARNEY ROAD/MAYTOWN OSTEEN ROAD- This fire is in the mop up stage and is currently being handled by inmate crews.
4. SUNDY TRAIL (WEST OF NEW SMYRNA BEACH)-- The area includes Damascus Road south of SR 44 near Sundy Trail east of DeLand. This fire, which has joined with the larger Lafayette fire, is currently contained.
5. SR 40/BUCKSKIN LANE IN THE RODEO ACRES AREA, WEST OF ORMOND BEACH. The fire has joined with the Lafayette Landing Complex and the fire has been currently contained.
6. LAKE WOODRUFF (West of Highway 17, northwest of DeLeon Springs). This fire is being allowed to burn itself out and poses no threat to life or structures.
7. COUNTY ROAD 3/STONE ROAD, SOUTH OF SR 4O BARBERVILLE AREA. No apparent threat to people or buildings at this time. A controlled burn may be initiated to manage this fire. Fire has flared up North of SR 40.
8. RANCHETTE ROAD (west of New Smyrna Beach) south of SR 44 in the vicinity of Ranchette Road. This has joined the Lafayette Landing fire. Fire is currently contained.
9. NINE MILE POINT AND CR 3 NEAR PIERSON/SEVILLE. Currently contained.
10. I-95 (north of U.S. 1/Ormond near Volusia /Flagler county line). Currently contained.
11. I-95 AND MAYTOWN ROAD (WEST OF OAK HILL). The previously reported flare-up continues to burn.
12. I-95 AND THE 275 MILE MARKER IN ORMOND BEACH. Currently contained
13. SOUTH LAKE HARNEY FIRES, SE VOLUSIA OFF SR 46. This fire originated in Brevard County and entered Volusia County at about 1500 hours Monday. This fire is a threat to homes in the Lake Harney Woods area. This fire is not contained and is expanding back toward Brevard County. Status remains the same.
14. Piney Woods fire (East of Osteen) This fire has currently consumed 150 acres and one home. The cause of this fire is unknown and is under investigation.
15. Edgewater/I-95. This fire flared up yesterday evening and made a run for I-95 but was suppressed by rainfall. However this fire is not contained and is still considered a threat to residences in the Florida Shores Subdivision.
SUPPRESSION EFFORTS UNDERWAY : The policy is to protect life first. Protection of structures will be prioritized based on field conditions. A series of control burns have been and will be set, depending on local weather conditions. The Plantation Pines area was successfully defended. A unified command consisting of Volusia and Flagler Counties and the City of Ormond Beach has been coordinated with DOF. It has been determined that some fires may be suspicious in nature. Air reconnaissance flights are being done by the U.S. Forest Service out of New Smyrna Beach and DeLand airports.
MUTUAL AID:
- Resources from other states are present.
- State ESF 4 and 9 have 107 firefighters through the Fire Chief=s Association. One hundred additional Mutual Aid fire fighters arrived Tuesday (6/30).
- The State Fire Marshal=s Office has sent 8 people.
- A total of 32 National Guard personnel and 15 vehicles are present and in the direct control of the County Emergency Operations.
- Federal Incident Command (Blue Team) has provided a 38 person overhead team that arrived on Saturday (6/27). They brought 5 Ahot shot@ teams which 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. The U.S. Forest Service/DOF sent 104 firefighters tonight and an additional 164 firefighters will be arriving Sunday. They have provided 16 tractor plow units and 30 engines.
- Five PIO=s have arrived to assist with media inquiries.
- The Salvation Army has undertaken all field food as of Monday, 6/29/98. A new warehouse for storage & distribution has been established at the Daytona Mall (Nova Road).
- A Fire Behavior Analyst has arrived.
- A large tent is going to be set up by the Florida National Guard just west of I-95 on State Road 40. The tent is intended to house firefighters.
- 20 USMC personnel are en route from Camp Lejuene to replace a bridge on Rima Ridge Road. The intent of the bridge is to facilitate heavy equipment traffic between US 92 and State Road 40 in case I-95 and other north-south arteries are congested with race related traffic.
OTHER:
- Two State Division of Emergency Management liaisons are on the scene.
- State Division of Forestry liaison present in Fire Command
- National Guard liaison present as ESF 13 in CEOC.
INJURIES / CASUALTIES
INJURIES (MINOR) TO DATE : 8 (firefighters) +1 fire contractor
FATALITIES TO DATE : 0
MISSING PERSONS TO DATE : 0
STATUS OF MISSING PERSONS : N/A
PROPERTY / INFRASTRUCTURE IMPACTED
HOMES THREATENED :13,500 homes threatened in various areas around Volusia County including 4,500 homes in the Florida Shores subdivision
HOME DESTROYED : 1 (destruction may not be a result of forest fire, cause under investigation)
BUSINESSES THREATENED : 1
BUSINESSES DAMAGED : 0
BUSINESSES DESTROYED : 0
OTHER STRUCTURES THREATENED : 15 (miscellaneous hunting camp structures
OTHER STRUCTURES DAMAGED : 0
OTHER STRUCTURES DESTROYED : 0
VEHICLES DAMAGED : 3 (two automobiles and a boat)
VEHICLES DESTROYED : 0
INFRASTRUCTURE IMPACTED: There are plans to remove damaged trees along U.S. Hwy. 92 that are a hazard to power lines. Trees are also being removed from the right-of-way for Interstate 4. A concern is that some of the taller fallen trees may impinge upon traffic lanes
ROADS CLOSED : No roads closed at this time.
EVACUATIONS / SHELTERS
AREA(S) EVACUATED: All areas are cleared and residents are permitted to return to their homes previously evacuated (mandatory and voluntary)
Voluntary Evacuation of Maytown/Geiss Roads
Voluntary Evacuation of Lake Harney Woods. However residents have been allowed to return to this area.
Voluntary Evacuation of Quail Ranch Road.
NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS EVACUATED: 0
NUMBER OF EVACUEES : 0
NUMBER OF SHELTERS OPEN : 1 (County Fairgrounds)
BILLETING FOR SUPPORT CREWS :
FEDERAL BLUE TEAM
1. DELAND MIDDLE SCHOOL - 104 CREW MEMBERS
2. DELAND HIGH SCHOOL - 200 CREW MEMBERS
3. DELTONA HIGH SCHOOL -STANDBY
4. VOLUSIA COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS-FEDERAL OVERHEAD SOUTHERN BLUE TEAM
MUTUAL AID
1. ERAU - 37 CREW MEMBERS
2. STETSON - @ CAPACITY 300 CREW MEMBERS
SHELTER POPULATION : 0
NUMBER OF SHELTERS ON STANDBY : 8
1. PALM TERRACE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, ORMOND BEACH (FOR ELDERLY PSN)
2. SPRUCE CREEK HIGH SCHOOL, PORT ORANGE
3. DELAND YMCA
4. ORMOND BEACH BEACH MIDDLE SCHOOL
5. ATLANTIC HIGH
6. SPRUCE CREEK ELEMENTARY
7. SWEETWATER ELEMENTARY
8. CHISHOLM ELEMENTARY
MISCELLANEOUS
STATUS OF FIREWORKS BAN AND OTHER BURN CONTROLS: Volusia County passed an ordinance on Thursday, June 25, 1998, banning the sale and use of fireworks in unincorporated and incorporated areas. All vendors including those who sell fireworks in tent sales have voluntarily agreed not to sell any fireworks to individuals in Volusia County. Firework shows have been voluntarily canceled in the cities of DeLand, DeBary, Deltona, Port Orange, Edgewater, Ormond Beach. Holly Hill has issued an emergency order banning fireworks. Pierson has also passed an ordinance to ban fireworks. The Governor has issued a statewide ban on fireworks.
FINANCIAL: Daily costs are estimated at $155,000 per day excluding state-wide mutual aid and additional expenditures from municipalities. Expect operations to continue for a minimum of 2 weeks. The Federal Government has declared Volusia County a disaster area and has pledged to cover 75% of local municipal firefighting cost.
FEDERAL OVERHEAD SOUTHERN BLUE TEAM: Efforts are underway to facilitate the transition from "mutual aid" to the Federal Overhead Team. Resources (food, lodging, etc.) are being secured, in cooperation with federal representatives during this period. Incident Command Post has been established at the Volusia County Fairgrounds on SR 44, east of I-4 and the City of DeLand.
FEEDING: The Salvation Army has assumed responsibility for feeding firefighters.
TRAFFIC PLANNING: A meeting has been scheduled for the purpose of evaluating alternative patterns of traffic flow during the upcoming weekend in anticipation of the possibility for poor visibility/fires and the accompanying impacts (if any) upon the increased traffic volumes associated with the NASCAR race at the Daytona International Speedway. This meeting will be held at 1400, Wednesday, July 1st.
WEATHER REPORT: Last night a series of intense thunderstorms formed across the County. These cells were associated with heavy rainfall and numerous lightning strikes. Today thunderstorms are forecast to form early in the afternoon and dissipate by early evening. A westerly flow of wind is expected today. Winds will increase through the day to 15 knots.
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