Tag

Drought

Browsing

EDM Monday Briefing: Destructive Wildfires in Florida Nearly Contained

By
fire Florida Arsenault

Emergency and disaster management briefing for May 11, 2020: Wildfires along the panhandle in Florida are 75 percent contained; PG&E was slapped with the highest-ever fine for their part in the deadly California wildfires of 2017 and 2018; near-daily violent eruptions of Japan’s Sakurajima Volcano are spewing ash miles into the air; a weekend polar vortex swept through the Northeast with record-setting low temperatures and snowfall; more than a dozen wildfires were sparked across Florida amid unseasonable high temperatures and a lack of precipitation; a 4.5 magnitude earthquake struck San Diego County west of the Salton Sea; Colorado firefighters are prepping for an unusual wildfire season amid high temperatures, early snowmelt, and the coronavirus; and drones are helping emergency management agencies track fire behavior and damages more quickly and accurately.

Start an Emergency & Disaster Management degree at American Military University.

1) Wildfires that forced evacuations and destroyed multiple homes in Florida are now under control, according to the Florida Forest Service. The Hurst Hammock Fire near Beulah, which was caused by humans, and the Five Mile Swamp Fire in Santa Rosa County were both 75 percent contained as of Sunday evening. The fires burned a combined total of more than 3,460 acres, destroyed 14 residences and 27 other buildings, and damaged another 7 homes.

2) Bankrupt Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) was fined $1.937 million for its role in deadly wildfires during the 2017 and 2018 seasons. It is the highest penalty ever assessed by the Public Utilities Commission, and the decision was unanimous. Reportedly, a lack of maintenance by PG&E led to equipment malfunctions that sparked the deadly wildfires, including the Camp Fire.

3) The Sakurajima Volcano near Kyushu, Japan, erupted violently on Friday, spewing thick, dark ash more than a mile high into the air. A second, even more violent eruption spewed dense, dark ash more than two miles into the air, and a constant glow can be seen in the crater. Another eruption occurred Monday morning, and due to its ongoing high level of activity that has prompted evacuations, Japanese volcanologists believe the volcano will continue to erupt.

4) A polar vortex moved through the Northeast and New England over the weekend, causing temperatures to plummet while it dumped snow across the region. On Saturday, Maine saw several inches of snow, and thousands were without power after high winds associated with the storm downed power lines and snapped trees. The late-season weather pattern also set record low temperatures in many locations throughout the region.

5) Record high temperatures, along with a lack of rainfall, have sparked over a dozen wildfires across the state of Florida. A wildfire burning alongside the roadway forced the closure of US-41 in Collier County all the way to Dade County on Friday. Interstate 75, which crosses through the area, remained open. Sunday morning, residents in Palm Beach County woke up to smoke-laden skies as a forecasted weather front moved smoke from fires burning outside the county into the area.

6) A 4.5 magnitude earthquake struck San Diego County Sunday afternoon, rattling buildings as far away as Riverside County. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the tremblor struck at a depth of about 6.3 miles, west of the Salton Sea and about 10.5 miles southeast of Ocotillo Wells. The desert area is fairly remote, and there were no reports of injuries or damages.

7) Firefighters in Colorado are bracing for an unusual and unprecedented wildfire season. The state is experiencing a widespread drought, with 76 percent of Colorado under drought conditions and 11 percent under extreme drought conditions. High temperatures and early snowmelt are adding to concerns about a busy season, which is already being complicated by the coronavirus.

8) Drones are being used to assess damage caused by the Mussett Bayou Fire in Walton County, Florida. The fire, which forced the evacuation of more than 500 homes along highways 98 and 30A, was started by an illegal burn. As of Sunday, the blaze was about 80 percent contained. Drones have helped emergency management officials to quickly build more accurate maps of the Mussett Bayou Fire’s behavior and activity, while also helping build future situational awareness.

 

Keep Reading
By