VOLUSIA COUNTY SITUATION REPORT # 62
(status changes made since last report shown in bold black type)
EVENT: WILDFIRES 1998
DATE / TIME: July 8, 1998 @ 15:00 hrs
EOC HOURS OF OPERATION: 08:00 to 17:00 (Hours dependent on fire situation)
EOC BRIEFING TIMES: 09:00 AND 15:00
EOC ACTIVATION LEVEL : 2
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 18, 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 : Active fires are summarized below:
Pierson - This fire is located on the north side of the Town of Pierson. Controlled burns are continuing northwest of the town, west of US 17 and north of the Pierson Airport. Local firefighting forces are assisting the Divison of Forestry in these efforts.
Law Camp - This fire is presently contained.
Quail Ridge- This fire is presently contained.
Lafayette fire - This fire is presently contained.
Ranchette Road - This fire is presently contained.
Mary Farms fire - This fire has consumed approximately, 3500 acres and is contained.
Indian Lake Road area fire(s) - This fire is presently contained.
County Road 3 - This fire is presently contained.
Shunz Road fire - This fire is presently contained.
Lake Woodruff - This fire continues to burn and is generating considerable quntities of smoke. The fire is presently contained.
Lake Harney area - This fire is presently contained.
Edgewater/Cranes Swamp - This fire is presently contained.
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 IMPACTED BY WILDFIRES: 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. Out-of-county fire fighting crews are under demobilization and remaining crews are on a rotating schedule.
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 Fire Services and Emergency Management: 79 personnel, 27 vehicles (16 HUMMVs, 5 - 2 ½ ton trucks, 4 HEMMTs and 2 pickups).
- 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; 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 were threatened in various areas around Volusia County (including 20,000 homes in the Daytona Beach and Ormond Beach area).
*HOMES DESTROYED/DAMAGED : 6 homes are reported destroyed with damage reported for 1 additional home in the Ormond Beach area; also 10 mobile homes were damaged in the Ormond Beach area.
*BUSINESSES THREATENED : 0
*BUSINESSES DAMAGED/DESTROYED : 4 businesses in the Ormond area were destroyed.
*OTHER STRUCTURES THREATENED : 0
*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 - All mandatory evacuations have been lifted.
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.
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, industrial and commercial) to date is $2.2 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 have postponed the Thursday, July 9, 1998 9:00 a.m briefing on billing and reimbursement issues. The briefing will be rescheduled for a date, time and location to be announced.
It is essential that representatives from the following agencies attend:
All County Service Centers
Purchasing
Finance/Fiscal/Budget
Fire Department
Law Enforcement
Public Works/Utilities
Damage AssessmentMEDICAL: Since the beginning of the fire event, approximately 400 individuals have appeared in local hospitals complaining of respiratory problems. Of these, 30 were admitted.
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