I'm Back!

WOW I cant believe I have been away from posting for so long. Hopefully this will be a revitalization of this blog. This is a BIG year for Smokey as he turns 70 and it's also a momentous year for the Virginia Department of Forestry, the Tennessee Division of Forestry and the Texas Forest Service as we all are turning 100 this year. In addition to keeping up with significant wildfire activity and other emergency response I hope to regularly post "birthday" and  historically related material.

Its NOT over yet!

With every raindrop an end to our Spring Wildfire Season draws closer and closer HOWEVER it is not over as evident by a significant wildfire near Buena Vista. the info below was provided by the incident information folks and the pictures were provided by folks on the fire or obtained from WBDJ TV 7

Overview:  The Elephant Fire is located on Elephant Mountain, just east of Buena Vista, Virginia.

Estimated Acreage:  Approximately 250 acres

Containment:  33% contained                            

Operational Plan:  For Tuesday, April 16, 2013, firefighters will construct containment lines and extinguish hotspots along the south and east sides of the fire.  Efforts will continue to secure the rocky northeast portion of the fire.  Additional interior mop-up will continue along the west side of the fire.  Rehabilitation work will begin today on dozer lines created near structures in Buena Vista.  

Fire Cause:  The Elephant Fire was initially reported at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 14, 2013.  The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Resources on the Fire:  Approximately 140 firefighters and support staff, including two Type 1 Hotshot Crews, one Type 2 Initial Attack Crew, two dozers, five engines, and a helicopter are assisting with the Elephant Fire.

Closures:  No closures at this time

Cooperators:  Virginia Department of Forestry, National Park Service, Buena Vista Fire Department

Fire Weather:     

·        Tuesday Weather:  Cloudy and damp with occasional drizzle this morning, then becoming partly cloudy. High 78 degrees. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Minimum humidity, 62%.

·        Tuesday Evening Weather: A few clouds. Low 58 degrees. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Maximum humidity, 84%.

·        Wednesday Weather:  Partial cloudiness early, with scattered showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Warm. High 81 degrees. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. Minimum humidity, 57%.

General Fire Information:

·        Safety of the public and firefighters is always the number one priority when dealing with wildfires.

·        Over one mile of dozer line was completed on the west end of the fire to protect approximately 30 homes.  Rehabilitation of this line will begin on Tuesday.  No structures have been lost or damaged.

·        Smoke from the Elephant Fire may continue to be visible in Buena Vista and surrounding areas for several days.

·        Homeowners can learn how to make their homes less susceptible to wildfires by visiting:  www.firewisevirginia.org

For updated information any media requests should be made by contacting Michael Williams, Public Information Officer:  (540) 525-1539

Now is not the time to get complacient and forget all that Smokey has taught us including obeying all local and state burning regulations. We still have approximately 2 weeks left in what is refered to as the 4PM Law   http://www.dof.virginia.gov/info/faqs-burning.htm

When this law goes out May 1st this is when we traditionally call an end to our Spring Wildfire Season however you must still pay attention to the weather and local conditions BEFORE planning any outdoor burning.

thanks

SMOKEY

More pictures from wildfires yesterday

This is an areial picture from the Chesterfield Rt 288 fire from yesterday. The very dark areas are portions of the young pine plantation that were burned so hot that few if any trees in those areas will survive.

pictures and video provided by R. Reuse PIO2

2013-04-11T15-15-48_0.mp4

The pictures below are from a wildfire in Mecklenburg County that started from an debris burn that "got away". Several acres and 2 cottages later the Department of Forestry and local fire Departments stoped it.

Please note that the two structures that burned both had shake shingle (wooden) roofs that ignited from hot sparks.

One might not think many sparks or embers occure hwen burning even in a barrel, but taking a look at a night time picture tells the real story.

They say April showers bring May flowers but No rain in April brings Wildfires.

This time of year even a few days without rain ontop of the excessive temperatures, higher winds and lower humidities are conditions during which we see an increase in wildfire activity. These conditions in themselves DO NOT cause the fires but they do create conditions that make fires easier to start and more difficult to suppress.

From April 1st to April 9th the Virginia Department of Forestry has reported 102 fires for 770 acres. Yesterday(the 10th) was a very busy day and the numbers are not in yet but you can keep up with the wildfire activity by clicking on the link below. New reports are usually posted by 10:00 each morning.

Wildfire InformationDaily Report - shows wildfire activity as reported to our offices. Fire risk and year-to-date information included.

There are numerous news stories on the web most recently the media market out of Richmond has been busy covering wildfires in the area. The pictures below and the provided links are all from this area and the local media covering the situation.

http://www.wric.com/story/21933138/chesterfield-brush-fire-contained-rt-288-courthouse-rd-closed

http://wtvr.com/2013/04/10/75-acre-brush-fire-shuts-down-288-keeps-chesterfield-firefighters-busy/

http://www.nbc12.com/story/21933278/brush-fires-shut-down-area-of-courthouse-and-iron-bridge

This fire off of Rt 288 and Courthouse Road impacted numerous homes and burned in what we refer to as the Wildland Urban Interface. Home owners and others property owners can find out many ways that they can help provide more protection to their houses, out buildings and other property by becoming more FIREWISE. This link will take you to a wealth of information provided by the Virginia Department of Forestry.

www.firewisevirginia.org

Just so you dont think that the Richmond area was in this alone the following link is to a news story out of the Charlottesville area that was also dealing with numerous fires yesterday and previously.

http://www.newsplex.com/home/headlines/Albemarle-Wildfire-Contained-Conditions-Prime-for-Others-202409751.html

PLEASE REMEMBER

ONLY YOU CAN PREVENT WILDFIRES

Obey all burning restrictions

February 15 - April 30
During this period, the 4PM Burn Law is in effect.

• DO NOT light fires until 4PM.
• DO NOT stir up the fire or add new fuel after Midnight.
• Can I burn...? Burning and the 4 PM Law

 

And just because you can leagely burn you might want to postpone any burning untill thewildfire danger is reduced with some rain, lower temperatures and the trees and grass "Green Up".

Thanks

Smokey

Agency Update and state by state snapshot

A brief update on actions from VMAC partners

VA Dept of Forestry 

All is calm and quiet for the most part, not as much impact /damage as anticipated.

Both 10 person State saw crews have been demob as of 1130 today.

The State EOC will probably remain open on a 24-hour basis for the duration until approximately 11/1/12 at end of day shift. Resources remain available for local response as requested.

National Park Service 

All Parks remain closed down. National Capital area are in good shape, have a few down trees with local saw crews handling also have some flooding, expect the worst of the flooding however in the next few days. Have no anticipated needs at this time for resources.

Zeph Cunningham IMT along with Zeke will be prepositioned in Hagerstown, MD. The other NPS team will be prepositioned in Columbus, OH. NPS Type 2 teams are receiving reassignments. Appears that the team staged in Hagerstown are head towards NYC Harbor Parks, they are lining up their resources now for this assignment which will consist of assisting the Parks of locating and assisting some 400+ employees.

Fish and Wildlife Service 

Refuges located in VA are fine, Eastern Shore area received some damage but they are okay and can handle the damage themselves. FWS Helicopter will be repositioning from GA to VA by this evening, ship will be used to recon damage up the coastline.

The FWS Type 3 team anticipate an assignment in the NJ/NY area, not sure on the particulars at this point, but Tim and the fire crew will head that direction once the decisions are completed.

Forest Service 

Most George Washington & Jefferson NF District Offices are reporting in as closed, no other reports available at this time. The FS WO has the NIMO Incident Command Team Quesinberry(short team) have an assignment at this time and they are headed to Lakehurst NJ. The 11 /2 person saw crews are in route (5 crews with VA-VAF to the Farmingdale NY area and 5 crews with TX-TXF/AR-OUF & AR-OZF are preposition here in Roanoke waiting on reassignments, there are also 2 TFLD’s to oversee resources available and on hold for the saw crew resources. The Augusta Hotshots are currently at their destination of Middletown PA.

NRCC (FEMA)

No further word as of this time of the FEMA Declaration (FEMA Charge code) for VA, however the resources that are currently on order are prepositioning for the FS is a WO code and FS Agency only, once the WO receives a code from FEMA, VICC will proceed with inquiry about resource availability from other agencies with the potential of resources also getting reassigned to other locations out of area.

 Here's a snapshot of what is happening, state by state as of Tuesday 10/30/2012

CAROLINAS
North Carolina Gov. Beverly Perdue expanded a state of emergency to western North Carolina, which could see a foot of snow. A woman who was pulled from the Atlantic after abandoning a tall ship died. Power outages: 6,600.

CONNECTICUT
The Long Island Sound flooded roads as the storm toppled trees and power lines Two people died, including an Easton firefighter who was killed when a tree fell on his truck. Power outages: More than 615,000.

DELAWARE
Nearly all residents of flood-prone coastal communities in Kent County heeded calls to evacuate. The Rehoboth Beach and Dewey Beach resort communities were flooded. Power outages: More than 45,000.

ILLINOIS
High wind warnings and a lakeshore flood warning are in effect Tuesday and Wednesday in Chicago. City officials said Lake Shore Drive is expected to remain open.

KENTUCKY
A winter storm warning is in effect for three southeastern counties until Wednesday. In some areas, winds could gust up to 50 mph through Tuesday.

MAINE
Wind gusts topped 60 mph, shutting down the port of Portland and knocking out power to homes and businesses. Power outages: More than 86,000.

MARYLAND
Floodwaters swamped touristy Ocean City. In western Maryland, snow tied up traffic. Two people were killed, including a man who died when a tree fell on a house in Pasadena. Power outages: 290,000.

MASSACHUSETTS
Strong winds and heavy surf led to mandatory evacuations in sections of coastal Dartmouth and Fall River and voluntary evacuations in other coastal communities. Power outages: About 290,000.

MICHIGAN
High winds knocked out power to about 79,000 homes and businesses.

NEW HAMPSHIRE
Politicians canceled visits to the presidential swing state on Monday. Power outages: 210,000.

NEW JERSEY
The center of the storm came ashore Monday evening near Atlantic City, which was cut off from the mainland by the storm surge along with other barrier islands, stranding residents who ignored warnings to evacuate. A tidal surge sent water into the streets of two northern New Jersey towns, setting off a frantic rescue effort. At least three deaths were reported. Power outages: More than 2.3 million.

NEW YORK
A record storm surge that was higher than predicted along with high winds damaged the electrical system and plunged millions of people into darkness. Utilities say it could be up to a week before power is fully restored. A fire burned 50 houses in one flooded section of Queens. There were 17 storm-related deaths, 10 of them in New York City. Power outages: 2.3 million.

OHIO
The Cleveland area and northeast Ohio were being slammed with rain and high winds. Snow was reported in some parts south of Cleveland and south of Columbus. Power outages: More than 250,000.

PENNSYLVANIA
Wind and flooding closing more than 200 bridges and roads. Four people died, including an 8-year-old boy who was killed when a tree limb fell on him. Power outages: 1.2 million.

RHODE ISLAND
Howling winds and storm surges forced mandatory and voluntary evacuations in low-lying and coastal communities. Providence's hurricane barrier performed well in one of its biggest tests. Power outages: 115,000.

TENNESSEE
Snow expected in higher elevations, where a freeze warning has been issued. High winds expected in many areas.

VERMONT
Winds knocked down trees and power lines, and schools were closed. Power outages: More than 10,000.

VIRGINIA
Utilities brought in crews to help restore power after high winds and snow. A curfew was ordered Monday on Chincoteague Island. Two people died in storm-related traffic accidents. Power outages: More than 180,000.

WASHINGTON, D.C.
Federal and local governments will remain closed Tuesday along with the courts, public schools and the Metro system that serves 1.2 million weekday customers. Power outages: 25,000.

WEST VIRGINIA
Some areas are buried under more than a foot of snow. A woman was killed in a traffic crash. Power outages: More than 264,000.

WISCONSIN
A village along Lake Michigan suggested residents evacuate Tuesday morning because of the possibility of dangerously high waves and flooding.

Waiver for Victims of Hurricane Sandy

Governor McDonnell Announces Penalty and Interest Waiver for Victims of Hurricane Sandy

RICHMOND—Governor McDonnell along with Tax Commissioner Craig M. Burns has announced that Virginia will provide a penalty waiver to those individuals and businesses affected by Hurricane Sandy.  This penalty waiver applies to any late returns filed or payments made by affected taxpayers between October 29, 2012 and November 9, 2012.  To notify the Department of Taxation that you were affected by Hurricane Sandy, you must write “Hurricane Sandy” at the top of your return.  The Department of Taxation will then abate any late-filing or late-payment penalties that would otherwise apply.

To qualify for this penalty waiver, taxpayers must be unable to meet their filing obligations because the financial books and records they need to file their taxes are unavailable because of hurricane damage or power outage.

The penalty waiver applies to the following returns:

·        Individual and Fiduciary Income Tax Returns (Forms 760, 763, 760PY, and 770): Individual and fiduciary income tax returns with a due date or an extended due date of November 1, 2012 will be granted a penalty waiver if the return is filed between October 29, 2012 and November 9, 2012.  Taxpayers whose original due date for the return falls on November 1 may elect to use the six-month automatic extension for filing their Virginia income tax returns as usual.  However, the six-month extension does not apply to payment of the tax.  A taxpayer who elects to use the six-month extension would need to pay at least 90% of his final tax liability by the original due date for filing the return in order to avoid any penalties.

·        Withholding Returns (Forms VA-5, VA-15 and VA-16): Withholding returns with a due date of October 30, 2012 will be granted a penalty waiver if the return is filed between October 29, 2012 and November 9, 2012.

·        Forest Products Tax Returns (Form 1034): Forest product tax returns with a due date of October 30, 2012 will be granted a penalty waiver if the return is filed between October 29, 2012 and November 9, 2012.

·        Corn Tax Returns (Form CO-1): Corn tax returns with a due date of October 31, 2012 will be granted a penalty waiver if the return is filed between October 29, 2012 and November 9, 2012.

·        Cotton Tax Returns (Form CX-1): Cotton tax returns with a due date of October 31, 2012 will be granted a penalty waiver if the return is filed between October 29, 2012 and November 9, 2012.

·        Soybean Tax Returns: Soybean tax returns with a due date of October 31, 2012 will be granted a penalty waiver if the return is filed between October 29, 2012 and November 9, 2012.

·        Sheep Tax Returns (Form SH-1): Sheep tax returns with a due date of October 31, 2012 will be granted a penalty waiver if the return is filed between October 29, 2012 and November 9, 2012.

·        Other State Taxes Administered by the Department of Taxation: An automatic penalty waiver is granted for any other state tax return filed late with the Department between October 29, 2012 and November 9, 2012.

The penalty waiver also applies to filers who use electronic funds transfer (EFT) for payment.  Affected EFT filers should contact the Department of Taxation at (804) 367-8037 if they receive notices of penalty.

Additional penalty waivers may be granted in hardship cases.  Written requests for additional waivers should be emailed to TaxIndReturns@tax.virginia.gov for personal tax inquiries and TaxBusQuestions@tax.virginia.gov for business tax inquiries, or directed to:

Virginia Department of Taxation

Customer Service Section

Severe Storm Relief Extension

P.O. Box 1115

Richmond, VA 23218-1115

Sandy may be gone but there is still work to be done

Our thoughts and prayers are with all those impacted by Sandy, most of Virginians are fortunate to NOT have been in the path of major damage. Our friends, family and neighbors to the north will have many days/weeks of recovery infront of them. Please support local and national relief agencies as you are able to do so.
With things winding down here at the VA EOC I thought it would be nice to put faces to those who have been tasked with staffing the ESF 4 desk and also support the JIC.

A typical briefing held at 0700 and 1900 daily

The room was full

Fred Turck ESF 4/VDOF

Dave Jolly ESF 4/VDFP

John Campbell JIC/VDOFMark Buff JIC/VDFP

Russ Chandler ESF4 / VDFP

Steve Grainer ESF4 / VDFP

Bobby Bailey ESF4 /VDFP

Steve Counts ESF 4/ VDOF

Tim Hansbrough ESF 4 / VDFPFrom time to time especially in the early hours of the morning or late at night we had folks show up to help as needed.

Seriously, all employees of both agencies, The VA Dept of Fire Programs and the VA Dept of Forestry should be commended for their support of the Sandy Response effort. If you were deployed to the EOC, placed into service locally or fullfilled your "normal" job duties you assisted many citizens of the Commonwealth that were in need of support at this critical time. Hopefully you and your family all are ok and we all will be back to our regular job soon.