Massive Fire Destroys Kiev Oil Depot

Deadly inferno destroys two dozen mega fuel tanks, threatens ammo dump near Kiev, Ukraine

The catastrophic fire at the BRSM-Nafta facility near the Ukrainian capital ignited Monday night, claiming several lives and burning uncontrollably, as of posting.

BRSM-Nafta Ltd. is a Kiev-based company that supplies gasoline and diesel in Ukraine. The oil depot is located in the village of Kryachky, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) southwest of Kiev.

“There is a serious threat of the fire burning at an oil depot in the Vasylkivsky district of the Kyiv region spreading to an Armed Forces unit’s ammunition warehouse located nearby,” said the secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council.

Related News Links

• Oil Depot on Fire in Kiev Region
• >Ammo depot just 50 meters from blazing inferno at oil depot in Kiev region

Texas Major Disaster Declaration Extended

Federal Disaster Declaration extended to 18 additional counties

The Presidential Disaster Declaration for the state of Texas, which was issued on May 29th, has been amended to include the following counties:  Bastrop, Blanco, Caldwell, Denton, Eastland, Fort Bend, Guadalupe, Henderson, Hidalgo, Johnson, Milam, Montague, Rusk, Smith, Travis, Wichita, Williamson and Wise.

On May 29th, 2015, Individual Assistance was granted to Harris, Hays and Van Zandt counties. Public Assistance was granted to Cooke, Gaines, Grimes, Harris, Hays, Navarro and Van Zandt counties.

The declaration is posted here.

Extreme Weather Events

The extreme weather events have caused historic flooding and spawned tornadoes killing at least 24 people in the Lone Star State and destroying or damaging thousands of homes and vehicles, since May 5.

Governor Abbott extended his Disaster Proclamation of May 11, 2015, declaring States of Disaster in 94 Texas counties on June 3.

Related Links

• Major Disaster Declared for State of Texas May 30, 2015

46.8 Million Birds Affected as Michigan Confirms Avian Flu

21 States Report Avian Influenza

Since December 2014, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has confirmed  cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5 in the Pacific, Central, and Mississippi flyways (or migratory bird paths). The disease has severely affected commercial poultry and backyard flocks.

Infected Commercial Flocks. Commercial flocks have been infected in at least 15 States: Arkansas, California, Idaho, Indiana (May 10, 2015), Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska (May 11, 2015), North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington and  Wisconsin.

Update on Avian Influenza Findings – Poultry Findings Confirmed by USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories

• Birds Affected: 46,824,393
• Detections Reported: 219  [previously 162]
  
• First Detection Reported: 12/19/14
• Last Detection Reported: 6/5/15
• Flocks Pending Test Results: 15 Cases
• Source: APHIS/ USDA

Worst Affected Areas

• Iowa: 30,482,300 Birds Affected
• Minnesota: 8,970,150
  
• Nebraska: 3,794,100  (June 4, 2015)
  
• Wisconsin: 1,950,733 (May 5, 2015)
  
• South Dakota: 1,168,200 (June 1, 2015)

Michigan Reports First Case of Bird Flu

The Michigan DNR and the departments of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) have confirmed case of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the state.

“While this is disappointing news that the H5N2 virus has been found in Michigan’s free-ranging bird population, it was not unexpected given avian influenza has been found in a number of our neighboring states and Ontario,” said MDARD Director.

Michigan became the 21st state to report avian influenza, after three free-ranging Canada Goose goslings collected in Sterling Heights (Macomb County) tested positive for HPAI virus.

Avian influenza has not yet been detected in Michigan’s domestic poultry flocks, said MDARD.

Wild Flocks with Infection Found in at least 6 States: Kentucky, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.

Wild Bird HPAI Cases in the United States
A list prepared by National Flyway Council reports HPAI cases in wild bird flocks across the following states:

• CA, ID, KS, KY, MN, MO, NM, NV, OR, WA, WI and WY.

Key Points: HPAI H5  [CDC Influenza Division]

• Increased outreach, reporting and surveillance activities in the United States followed the detection of HPAI H5N2 among commercial poultry flocks in Canada in early December 2014.

• USDA has reported
  • HPAI H5N8 virus in California, Idaho, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Nevada.
  • HPAI H5N2 virus in Nebraska, Indiana, Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Minnesota, Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Kentucky.
  • HPAI H5N1 virus in Washington.
  • H5 virus in a wild bird in New Mexico, but diagnostic test did not determine the neuraminidase (NA).

• HPAI H5N8, HPAI H5N2 and HPAI H5N1 viruses with this combination of genes had not been detected previously in the United States.

A strain of avian flu, EA-H5N8, which had previously been found only in the Western U.S., was detected.

States of Emergency

Iowa’s Gov. Branstad has extended a State of Disaster Emergency Proclamation until July 1 as more farms continue to report new cases of the deadly avian flu virus in their poultry flocks.

Nebraska Gov. Ricketts proclaimed a state of emergency in May following the discovery of avian influenza in the state’s poultry sector, according to a statement posted on his website.

Background and Additional Links

• ‘Unprecedented’ Flu Outbreak Baffles Scientists April 22, 2015
• State of Emergency Declared in Dallas County due to Bird Flu May 9, 2015
• State of Emergency Declared in Nebraska in Bird Flu Epidemic May 15, 2015
• State of Disaster Emergency Extended in Iowa amid Rising Bird Flu Cases June 1, 2015
• 45 Million Birds Affected by Avian Flu in U.S. June 4, 2015