State of Disaster Declared in Kansas amid Wildfires

Wildfires burn across 75,000 acres from Oklahoma to Kansas

Gov Brownback has declared a state of disaster emergency for parts of south-central Kansas as wildfires continue to threaten about 1,000 homes and businesses.

The so called Anderson Creek Fire has consumed about 75,00 acres since Tuesday night near the Kansas border in Woods County, Oklahoma. The blaze has since spread into Barber and Comanche counties in Kansas, NWS reported.

The fire is now threatening residents of Medicine Lodge in Barber County, according to the mayor, who has called for voluntary evacuations of the town’s 2,000 residents.

Meanwhile, the federal authorities have proclaimed a Management Assistance Declaration for the Anderson Creek Fire (FM-5120).

 

Japan Kills Hundreds of Minke Whales

Japan fleet returns from Antarctic whale hunt with hundreds of slaughtered whales

Japanese whaling fleet returned home Thursday after harpooning 333 minke whales in its annual Antarctic massacre, despite worldwide opposition.

Some 230 of the catch were females, with 90 percent of the mature females pregnant, according to reports.

“The number of pregnant females is consistent with previous hunts, indicating that the breeding situation of minke whales in the Antarctic is healthy,” Japan’s Fisheries Agency said in a statement.

The 2015/16 hunt followed a brief hiatus prompted by the United Nations’ International Court of Justice ruling, which described the annual hunt as “a commercial venture masquerading as science,” said reports.

Related reports

• Japan fleet returns from Antarctic whale hunt

Federal Disaster Declared for Pennsylvania

UPDATED

Kansas Anderson Creek Fire (FM-5120)

• Incident period: March 22, 2016
• Fire Management Assistance Declaration declared on March 23, 2016

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Destructive Weather Events: Major Disaster Declared for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm (DR-4267)

• Incident period: January 22, 2016 to January 23, 2016
• Major Disaster Declaration declared on March 23, 2016

The White House has declared a major disaster exists in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the area affected by the severe winter storm and snowstorm during the period of January 22-23, 2016.

Areas that have sustained severe damage include the following 23 counties: Adams, Bedford, Berks, Blair, Bucks, Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Fayette, Franklin, Fulton, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, Perry, Philadelphia, Schuylkill, Somerset, Westmoreland, and York.

Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments, said the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected areas.

Federal funding has also been made available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures for all counties within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, said the official report.

Federal Disaster Declarations (2015)

The federal government proclaimed 43 Major Disaster Declaration [DR 4205-4247] for a U.S. state/tribal area/territory in 2015, two Emergency Declarations, EM-3372 and EM-3373 and 34 Fire Management Assistance Declarations [FM-5084 to FM-5117.]

Major Disaster Declarations (2016)

• Texas Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding (DR-4266)  March 17, 201
• Major Disaster Declared for Delaware [DR-4265] March 17, 201
• Louisiana Disaster Declaration Expanded March 17, 2016
• Major Disaster Declaration: New Jersey [DR-4264] March 15, 2016
• Major Disaster Declaration: Louisiana Severe Storms and Flooding March 14, 2016
• Federal Disaster Declared for Virginia [DR-4262] March 8, 2016
• Major Disaster Declarations for DC and Maryland [DR-4260, DR-4261 ] March 5, 2016
• Major Disaster Declaration Proclaimed for Georgia [DR-4259] February 27, 2016
• Major Disaster Declared for Oregon [DR-4258] February 19, 2016

• Major Disaster Declared for Alaska [DR-4257] February 18, 2016
• Major Disaster Declared for Oklahoma [DR-4256] February 12, 2016
• Major Disaster Declared for Texas  [DR-4255] February 10, 2016
• Major Disaster Declaration Proclaimed for Arkansas [DR-4254] February 6, 2016
• Federal Emergency Declared for Louisiana (EM-3376) February 6, 2016
• Major Disaster Declaration Proclaimed for Washington [DR-4253] February 3, 2016
• Major Disaster Declaration Proclaimed for Idaho [DR-4252] February 2, 2016
• Major Disaster Declared for Alabama [DR-4251] January 23, 2016
• Oklahoma Oak Grove Fire (FM-5118)
• Major Disaster Declared for Missouri [DR-4250] January 22, 2016
• Federal Emergency Declared in Michigan [EM-3375] January 17, 2016
• Major Disaster Declaration for Washington [DR-4249] January 16, 2016
• Major Disaster Declared for Mississippi [DR-4248] January 5, 2016
• Federal Emergency Declared for Missouri [EM-3374] January 3, 2016
• Federal Disaster Declarations
• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index